Volcano in Iceland erupts for fifth time in six months

A state of emergency has been declared after a volcano in Grindavik erupted again. It comes almost three weeks after the last incident.

Lava from the volcanic eruption shot 50m into the sky. A series of earthquakes before the latest eruption triggered the evacuation of the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. Source: AAP / Marco di Marco

A volcano in southwestern Iceland has erupted for the fifth time in six months, with 50m-high lava jets.

The background: People in the town of Grindavik and the nearby tourist site Blue Lagoon geothermal spa were evacuated before the latest eruption.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office said the start of the latest eruption "is more vigorous than in previous eruptions in the area". The volcanic fissure is about 3.4km long.

The eruption began in the early afternoon north of Grindavik, a coastal town of 3,800 people that was also evacuated. Source: AAP / Birn Oddsson

The key quote: "It's a much larger volume that's on the move right now headed for town," said Grindavik Mayor Fannar Jónasson.

What else to know: Grindavik, which is about 50km southwest of Iceland's capital, Reykjavík, has been threatened since earthquakes in November forced an evacuation before the initial December eruption.

What happens next: The Coast Guard's surveillance flight is monitoring the impacts, but so far flights are still operating. The Met Office says the volcanic cloud did not rise high enough to initially pose any threat to aviation.

It's unclear when volcanic activity will subside and what it means for residents in the Reykjanes Peninsula, one of the few densely populated parts of Iceland.

Read more: In pictures: The December Iceland volcanic eruption and the aftermath