Popular geothermal spa in Iceland reopens to tourists after nearby volcano stabilizes

GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — The popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions in the country’s southwest, has reopened after authorities said a nearby volcano had stabilized after erupting four days earlier. Hundreds of tourists bathed in the lagoon Sunday, with the view of the erupting crater in the background. The eruption Wednesday was the fifth and most powerful since the volcanic system reawakened in December after 800 years, gushing record levels of lava as its fissure grew to 3.5 kilometers (2.1 miles) in length. The activity last week once again threatened Grindavik, a coastal town of 3,800 people, and led to the evacuation of the geothermal spa.