A volcano erupted late in southwest Iceland, spewing lava and smoke across a wide area after weeks of intense earthquake activity, the country’s Meteorological Office said, threatening a nearby town, writes the Reuters.

Fearing a significant eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, authorities last month evacuated the nearly 4,000 inhabitants of the fishing town of Grindavik and closed the nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.

The eruption began only a few kilometres from the town and cracks in the ground stretched toward the village located about 40 km south-west of Iceland’s capital city Reykjavik.

Reykjavik’s nearby Keflavik International Airport remained open, albeit with numerous delays listed for both arrivals and departures.