A powerful eruption has occurred at the Sundhnúks crater in Iceland, spewing lava over 100 feet into the air. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) reported that the eruption began at 12:46 p.m. local time today, following intense seismic activity at the Reykjanes Peninsula crater series just before 11 a.m.

According to the IMO, the eruption is located northeast of Sýlingafell and near Sundhnúk, with the jets reaching a height of at least 154 feet. The length of the crater has been estimated to be over 0.62 miles. At the beginning of the eruption, the plume of smoke reached a height of approximately 2.17 miles.

As a result of the volcanic activity, hundreds of people have been evacuated from the nearby Blue Lagoon, a popular tourist attraction. Live streams from the Reykjanes Peninsula show massive fountains of lava shooting up from the ground at the Sundhnúkur crater, just north of the town of Grindavík.

The lava flow has already extended about 0.62 miles to the west and a significant amount has moved south of Stóra-Scógfell, approaching Grindavíkurveg. The IMO stated that the lava's outflow velocity is roughly estimated to be 1,000 cubic meters per second.

This marks the fifth eruption of this particular volcano since December last year, with previous eruptions occurring on December 18, January 14, February 8, and March 16. These eruptions have taken place at various locations across the Reykjanes Peninsula as new fissures formed above the extensive magma dike beneath the surface.

Experts, like David Kitchen, an associate professor of geology at the University of Richmond, explain that the movement of magma in Iceland is influenced by various factors, including tectonic setting, magma chamber dynamics, crustal stresses and fractures, interactions with water and ice, and the physical properties of the magma itself.

The IMO has noted that this latest eruption appears to be in the same location as the previous one in March. The first crack has reached the farthest south, approximately 300-400 meters north of the crater that formed in the March 16 eruption.

During the previous eruptions, the town of Grindavík, home to around 4,000 people, was evacuated, and several homes were destroyed by the lava flow. Once again, in anticipation of today's eruption, Grindavík has been evacuated as a precautionary measure.

The nearby Blue Lagoon, a popular geothermal spa, has also been cleared of approximately 800 visitors and staff due to the seismic activity.

Helga Árnadóttir, manager of sales, operations and services at the Blue Lagoon, stated that they were well-prepared for such situations and anticipated further evacuation measures.

The Icelandic Coast Guard has mobilized a helicopter to survey the precise location and scale of the eruption. Videos from the helicopter's flight have been shared by the IMO on their Facebook page.

As the volcanic activity continues, authorities will closely monitor the situation to ensure the safety of nearby residents and visitors to the area.