A volcano once dormant in southwest Iceland erupted Wednesday for the 12th time in four years as nearby resort towns were evacuated as a safety precaution.

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

The Sundhnukur volcano has erupted near Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, the 12th volcanic eruption in the North Atlantic island nation since 2021, the Icelandic Meteorological Office says. The agency said in a statement on Wednesday morning that an eruptive fissure in southwestern Iceland is 700 to 1,000 metres (765 to 1,095 yards) long.