Icelandic authorities reported a new volcanic eruption this Wednesday on the Reikjanes peninsula, in the southwest of the island. The information was confirmed by the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), shortly after authorities evacuated the nearby town of Grindavik.

"An eruption has begun near Sundhnúksgígar, north of Grindavík," the institute said in a statement reported by AFP.

The popular Blue Lagoon hot springs, a tourist attraction in the country, also evacuated its facilities a few hours before the eruption began.

These eruptions occurred about three weeks after a previous eruption that began on March 16. This is the fifth eruption in the region since December.

Almost 4,000 inhabitants from the small, lava-hit port town of Grindavík had to be evacuated in November due to eruptions in the same area which ended up taking place in December, January and February.