Flames and smoke shot through the air as the volcanic fissure opened near the town of Grindavik. View on euronews

Iceland’s Met Office says a volcano is erupting in the southwestern part of the country, hours after a nearby town and a geothermal spa were evacuated

A volcano in southwestern Iceland that has erupted repeatedly for more than a year again belched lava and smoke into the air on Tuesday, just hours after authorities evacuated the few remaining residents of a nearby fishing village.

Lava bursts through Grindavík's defense barriers as new volcanic eruption begins on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula

A volcano erupted to the south of Iceland's capital on Tuesday, spewing lava and smoke in a fiery display of orange and red that triggered the evacuation of tourists and residents, although air traffic continued as normal.

The eruption began near Grindavik, a small town long threatened by volcanic disruptions, and prompted the closure of a popular tourist destination.