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<\/p>\nIceland’s Blue Lagoon, a popular tourist destination, has been closed out of an abundance of caution for the potential earthquakes and volcanic explosions in the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In addition to closing the vacation hotspot, residents of the nearby fishing town in the southwestern part of the country have been evacuated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Police decided to evacuate Grindavik after\u00a0recent seismic activity in the area\u00a0moved south toward the town and monitoring indicated that a corridor of magma, or semi-molten rock, now extends under the community, Iceland\u2019s Meteorological Office said.<\/p>\n
The town of 3,400 is on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik.<\/p>\n
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\u201cAt this stage, it is not possible to determine exactly whether and where magma might reach the surface,\u201d the Meteorological Office said.<\/p>\n
Authorities also raised their aviation alert to orange, indicating an increased risk of a volcanic eruption.<\/p>\n
Volcanic eruptions pose a serious hazard to aviation because they can spew highly abrasive ash high into the atmosphere, which can cause jet engines to fail, damage flight control systems, and reduce visibility.<\/p>\n
This isn’t the first time such occurrences have threatened the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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