The Reykjanes volcano in southwest Iceland has erupted, spewing lava and smoke into the air after weeks of intense earthquake activity.

“Warning: Eruption has started north of Grindavik by Hagafell,” the Met Office said on its website on Monday.

Images showed molten rock spewing like fountains from fissures in the ground.

Icelandic police said they had raised their alert level as a result of the outbreak. The country’s civil defence warned the public not to approach the area while emergency crews assessed the situation.

Fearing a significant outbreak 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.

Follow the latest updates below