Volcanic Eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula Triggers State of Emergency A state of emergency was declared in southern Iceland on March 16, after a volcano erupted on the Reykjanes Peninsula for the fourth time in three months. Hundreds of people were evacuated from the Blue Lagoon thermal spa, one of Iceland’s top tourist attractions, national broadcaster RUV said. The powerful and fast lava flows began late on Saturday – but the intensity of the eruptions had decreased and flows were “slow and steady” since Sunday morning, the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) said. Video from Olivier Gruau posted on March 17 shows thick plumes of smoke rising from the volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula. “Reykjavik by night,” he captioned the video. Credit: Olivier Gruau via Storyful