Lava flows towards the coast, a tourist attraction and a small fishing town were evacuated as a precaution. There have been four volcanic eruptions in the area since mid-December, and in one in January the lava engulfed three houses in the community.
The volcano erupted for the first time on December 18th and for the second time on January 14th. A third, smaller eruption was recorded on February 8th. The future of Grindavík with its 4,000 inhabitants is uncertain. Iceland is the largest and most active volcanic region in Europe.