Iceland volcano erupts, forcing evacuation of nearby Grindavik and Blue Lagoon tourist destination

A volcano began erupting in southwest Iceland on Tuesday, just hours after authorities evacuated a nearby community and the Blue Lagoon spa, one of Iceland's biggest tourist attractions.

Flames and smoke shot through the air as the volcanic fissure opened near the town of Grindavik, where some 40 homes were evacuated, national broadcaster RUV reported. The community, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, was largely evacuated a year ago when the volcano came to life after lying dormant for 800 years.

Webcams showed molten rock spewing out toward the community. Sirens sounded in Grindavik while the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa was also evacuated. The lagoon draws hundreds of thousands of tourists annually, including large school groups from across the world who come to study Iceland's dynamic geology.