A volcano in south-western Iceland has erupted, spewing red streams of lava in the latest display of nature’s power, triggering the evacuation of the popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.

The eruption began in the early afternoon following a series of earthquakes north of Grindavik, a coastal town of 3,800 people that was also evacuated.

The Met Office said lava was shooting about 50 metres (165ft) into the sky from a fissure about one kilometre (1,100 yards) long.

The Blue Lagoon thermal spa was evacuated before the eruption began, national broadcaster RUV said.

Iceland, which sits above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic, sees regular eruptions and is highly experienced at dealing with them.

The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed huge clouds of ash into the atmosphere and led to widespread airspace closures over Europe.

The latest eruptions signal a reawakening of the Svartsengi volcanic system after almost 800 years of quiet.

It is unclear when the period of activity will end or what it means for the Reykjanes Peninsula, one of the most densely populated parts of Iceland.