Earthquakes, volcanic activity forces Blue Lagoon tourist attraction to close
Copenhagen (dpa) - One of Iceland's best-known natural landmarks, the geothermic spa of Blue Lagoon, has been forced to close due to a series of earthquakes.
Amid fears of an ensuing volcanic eruption, the spa pool on the Reykjanes Peninsula around 40 kilometres south-west of Reykjavik is to shut for a week, officials have announced.
The lagoon's milky blue waters, heated by geothermal energy, are surrounded by a moonscape of black lava fields and moss-covered rocks, making the site among the world's most iconic spa resorts.
Amid Iceland's booming tourism industry, the Blue Lagoon brand has grown to include several hotels, restaurants and a skincare brand.
The Blue Lagoon spa resort in Iceland is located in the middle of a barren lava landscape, where bathers can see fountains of steam hissing up into the sky. The 240-degree hot water shooting up from deep wells is cooled to bearable temperatures and fed into the luxurious bathing area. (Source: Roland Holschneider/dpa via Reuters Connect)
DON'T MISS: A new earthquake warning system will prepare Canada for dangerous shaking
The site is closed mainly due to the continued strain on staff and seismic activity is to will be closely monitored in the coming days and the situation will be reassessed accordingly, the operators said online.
The Icelandic weather authority Vedurstofa said hundreds of tremors again occurred in the area between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, including several with a magnitude of more than 4.0 and one that came close to 5.
It remains unclear whether this indicates a volcanic eruption may be imminent. A series of earthquakes have foreshadowed volcanic eruptions three times since 2020. The latest series of earthquakes, that has included thousands of tremors, began on the peninsula at the end of October.
