Blue Lagoon At Risk? Iceland Volcano’s Fiery Eruption Captured By NASA Satellite Camera

NASA has shared incredible satellite images of lava flowing from a volcano in Iceland.

The photos, taken by the Landsat 9 satellite, show red-hot lava streaming from a 3-km-long fissure in the Sundhnúkur crater series on the Reykjanes Peninsula. This dramatic eruption began on November 20, marking the seventh eruption in the region in less than a year, per NASA.

A volcanic fissure once again burst open near Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, a popular geothermal spa, on Nov. 20, 2024.

This #Landsat 9 satellite image from Nov. 24 is overlaid with an infrared signal to help distinguish the lava’s heat signature. 🌋 pic.twitter.com/KQkc7oh9mN
— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) November 27, 2024

Taking to social media, the agency shared the satellite images, noting that the eruption occurred near the Blue Lagoon, a famous geothermal spa visited by thousands of tourists each year.

The lava from the fissure has been flowing steadily in both eastern and western directions, even reaching and covering the parking lot of the Blue Lagoon spa. Reports say, dozens of houses in the nearby town of Grindavík, which has around 3,800 residents, were evacuated. Grindavík has faced similar evacuations during past eruptions, with one previous event destroying several homes.

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This recent eruption has been stronger and more persistent than the earlier ones. Lava is currently flowing at a steady rate of 1,300 cubic meters per second, though that’s slower than the 2,500 cubic meters per second during the August eruption. Interestingly, unlike other events, this eruption did not show any noticeable increase in seismic activity beforehand, surprising experts.

The lava flow is currently moving toward Fagradalsfjall, a volcanic mountain in the area. Volcanologists say this region is prone to frequent eruptions because of tectonic activity – where the Earth’s plates are slowly pulling apart.

“The Reykjanes peninsula eruption is the seventh in a series of events that began in December 2023. As of November 26, 2024, the Blue Lagoon was closed to the public, but lava movement toward the spa had slowed,” NASA stated.

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(Image: NASA)