LONDON (AP) — Authorities in southwestern Iceland have enacted an emergency evacuation plan for the town of Grindavik and the popular Blue Lagoon spa due to increased volcanic activity threatening an eruption. This marks a pivotal moment as it would be the eighth eruption in the area.

Reports from national broadcaster RUV indicated that magma began to flow from the volcano situated near Grindavik. As a precautionary measure, the evacuation affected approximately 40 homes in the vicinity. This re-evacuation comes less than a year after the community was largely cleared due to a volcanic awakening that followed 800 years of dormancy.

Further compounding fears of an imminent eruption, the Icelandic Met Office reported that the magma movement was accompanied by a series of intense earthquakes. This seismic activity has attracted similarities to patterns observed in previous eruptions, raising concerns among residents and officials alike.

Current assessments from the Icelandic Met Office confirm that "no magma has reached the surface as of now," but they caution that an eruption is likely to occur in the near future. The situation is being monitored closely as geological conditions evolve in the region.