| <object | | | | tower of ash was as high as 6.8 miles. |
| width="480" height="385" codebase=" <embed | | | | "The situation is definitely better than it was particularly |
| type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" | | | | on Saturday, which was a difficult day for us due to |
| height="385" src=" allowscriptaccess="always" | | | | heavy ash fall just south of the volcano," said Urdur |
| allowfullscreen="true"></embed> </object> | | | | Gudmundsdottir, a spokeswoman at the foreign |
| <!--more--> | | | | ministry. |
| Iceland has a high concentration of active volcanoes | | | | But Gudmundsdottir was careful to avoid saying the |
| due to unique geological conditions. The island has | | | | worst was over for the island of 320,000 -- and for |
| about 130 volcanic mountains, of which 18 have | | | | the tens of thousands of people stranded at airports |
| erupted since the settlement of Iceland in 874 AD. | | | | for the past five days. |
| Over the past 500 years, Iceland's volcanoes have | | | | "As you know, things are changing very quickly," she |
| erupted a third of the total global lava output.[1] | | | | said. |
| Although the Laki eruption in 1783 had the largest | | | | An official at the Meteorological Office said ash |
| eruption of lava in the last 500 years, the Eldgjá | | | | production had fallen sharply and the nature of the |
| eruption of 934 AD and other Holocene eruptions | | | | eruption appeared to be changing. |
| were even larger. | | | | "Our web cameras show that there is not much ash |
| Geologists explain this high concentration of volcanic | | | | but mostly steam now," said Hjorleifur Sveinbjornsson, |
| activity as being due to a combination of the island's | | | | a geologist at the Meteorological Office. "The color of |
| position on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and a volcanic | | | | the steam is brown but also quite white so it is more |
| hotspot underneath the island. The island sits astride | | | | like water vaporizing." |
| the boundary between the Eurasian and North | | | | There was still a risk, however, that molten rock could |
| American Plates, and most volcanic activity is | | | | create new pathways for water to run into the crater, |
| concentrated along the plate boundary, which runs | | | | causing more explosions and a higher level of ash |
| across the island from the south-west to the | | | | production, he said. |
| north-east of the island. Some volcanic activity occurs | | | | Scientists flying above the volcano told the Met Office |
| offshore, especially off the southern coast. This | | | | lava had burst from the crater and onto the |
| includes wholly submerged submarine volcanoes and | | | | Eyjafjallajokull glacier that sits atop the volcano. The |
| even newly formed volcanic islands such as Surtsey | | | | glacier, about 75 miles southeast of Reykjavik, is |
| and Jólnir. | | | | normally a popular hiking ground. |
| The most recent[update] volcanic eruption in Iceland | | | | A reporter flying overhead in a helicopter told state |
| was that of Eyjafjallajökull, which started on April 14, | | | | radio the volcano was spitting chunks of lava as big as |
| 2010. The Eyjafjallajökull eruption closely followed an | | | | a jeep. |
| eruption in Fimmvörðuháls, which had erupted on | | | | The volcano near Eyjafjallajoekull glacier began to |
| March 20, temporarily quiesced by April 12, and then | | | | erupt just after midnight, sending lava a hundred |
| erupted with a large ash plume (due to magma coming | | | | metres high. |
| out under ice) on April 15. The ash cloud was significant | | | | Icelandic airspace has been closed, flights diverted and |
| enough to shut down airports across over 20 | | | | roads closed. The eruption was about 120km (75 |
| European countries, many of which remain closed as | | | | miles) east of the capital, Reykjavik. |
| of April 19. | | | | About 500 people were moved from the area, a civil |
| Millions of tons of ash from a volcano in Iceland that | | | | protection officer said. |
| have grounded planes across Europe is traveling | | | | "We estimate that no-one is in danger in the area, but |
| towards North America, government officials report. | | | | we have started an evacuation plan and between 500 |
| The latest satellite projections from the U.K.'s Met | | | | and 600 people are being evacuated," Sigurgeir |
| Office, which monitors volcanic eruptions as part of a | | | | Gudmundsson of the Icelandic civil protections |
| global network of Ash Advisory Centers, show the | | | | department told the Agence France-Presse news |
| ash cloud already reaching as far as Newfoundland, | | | | agency. |
| explained Bob Syvret, a forecaster for the agency. | | | | The area is sparsely populated, but the knock-on |
| "The latest graphics that we've issued suggest that | | | | effects from the eruption have been considerable. |
| the tail end of the plume might just get into the far east | | | | A state of emergency is in force in southern Iceland |
| of the Newfoundland area," he told | | | | and transport connections have been severely |
| But breathe easier, travellers: "It doesn't look a risk for | | | | disrupted, including the main east-west road. |
| North America" at this point, said Syvret, adding that | | | | "Ash has already begun to fall in Fljotshlid and people in |
| the cloud would "probably stop around the | | | | the surrounding area have reported seeing bright lights |
| Newfoundland area, and then move north into | | | | emanating from the glacier," RUV public radio said on |
| Greenland." | | | | its website. |
| The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | | | | "It was a bit scary, but still amazing to see," Katrin |
| confirmed the report from the Met Office, noting that | | | | Moller Eiriksdottir, who lives in Fljotshlid, told the BBC |
| the Met's projections "do show an extension | | | | News website. |
| westward across the North Atlantic." | | | | "The ash had started falling and we couldn't leave the |
| Authorities evacuated hundreds of people after the | | | | car." |
| fifth largest volcano in Iceland erupted beneath a | | | | Three Icelandair flights, bound for Reykjavik from the |
| glacier. | | | | United States, were ordered to return to Boston, RUV |
| But Jeff Osiensky, NOAA's volcanic ash program | | | | radio reported. |
| manager, explained that the projected regions don't | | | | Domestic flights were suspended indefinitely, but some |
| denote ash clouds hovering over the country. The | | | | international flights were scheduled to depart on |
| maps are advisory areas primarily based on models, | | | | Sunday. |
| he said, and discussions with the Canadian Met Office | | | | There had initially been fears that the volcano could |
| confirmed his suspicions. | | | | cause flooding, as it causes ice to melt on the glacier |
| "There's no indication of volcanic ash anywhere near | | | | above it, but that scenario appears to have been |
| Newfoundland. No observational type data to support | | | | avoided. |
| that right now." | | | | However, it could cause more activity nearby, |
| Up to 63,000 flights have been cancelled in Europe due | | | | scientists say. |
| to the volcanic eruption at Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull | | | | "This was a rather small and peaceful eruption but we |
| volcano, which has spewed dust and ash across the | | | | are concerned that it could trigger an eruption at the |
| country at a tremendous rate. Within the first 72 hours | | | | nearby Katla volcano, a vicious volcano that could |
| of the eruption, Iceland's Institute of Earth Sciences | | | | cause both local and global damage," said Pall |
| reported the average discharge rate of ash at 750 | | | | Einarsson, a geophysicist at the University of Iceland's |
| tons per second -- a rate that could fill Yankee | | | | Institute of Earth Science, Associated Press news |
| Stadium every few seconds. | | | | agency reported. |
| Syvret explained that it was difficult to accurately | | | | As the eruption is taking place in an area that is |
| measure the volume of ash in the air, but nonetheless | | | | relatively ice free, there is little chance of a destructive |
| believed that the situation shouldn't pose a threat to | | | | glacier burst like the one that washed away part of |
| American airports. | | | | the east-west highway four years ago, after an |
| "It shouldn't get any worse," he told | | | | eruption under the vast Vattnajoekull glacier. |
| A representative for the FAA explained that the | | | | Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the highly volatile |
| administration hadn't issued any formal statements yet, | | | | boundary between the Eurasian and North American |
| but were watching the situation. | | | | continental plates, with quakes and eruptions. |
| Scientists noted Monday morning that the ash plume | | | | The last volcanic eruption in the Eyjafjallajoekull area |
| rising above Iceland's erupting volcano was now | | | | occurred in 1821. |
| reaching a height of about 1.2 miles. Last week, the | | | | |