A volcano erupted on Wednesday in southwest Iceland, authorities said, with live media images showing it belched smoke and dramatic flows of glowing hot yellow and orange lava, the latest in a series of outbreaks near the capital in recent years.

The eruption began early July 16 on the Sundhnúkur Crater Row, about 30 miles southwest from the capital, Reykjavik. See images of the eruption.

Tourists at Iceland's Blue Lagoon geothermal spa were forced to pack up and get out as a volcanic eruption left lava oozing from a 3,000-foot fissure in the ground.