This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28913165
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Iceland volcano: Eruption under ice-cap sparks red alert | Iceland volcano: Eruption under ice-cap sparks red alert |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Iceland has issued a red alert to aviation after indications of a possible eruption under the country's biggest glacier, the Vattnajokull. | Iceland has issued a red alert to aviation after indications of a possible eruption under the country's biggest glacier, the Vattnajokull. |
| The Icelandic Met Office warned that a small eruption had taken place under the Dyngjujokull ice cap. | The Icelandic Met Office warned that a small eruption had taken place under the Dyngjujokull ice cap. |
| Seismic activity is continuing at the Bardarbunga volcano, about 30km away. | Seismic activity is continuing at the Bardarbunga volcano, about 30km away. |
| Airspace over the site has been closed, but all Icelandic airports currently remain open, authorities say. A Europe-wide alert has also been upgraded. | Airspace over the site has been closed, but all Icelandic airports currently remain open, authorities say. A Europe-wide alert has also been upgraded. |
| European air safety agency Eurocontrol said it would produce a forecast of likely ash behaviour every six hours. | European air safety agency Eurocontrol said it would produce a forecast of likely ash behaviour every six hours. |
| Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010, producing ash that severely disrupted air travel. | Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010, producing ash that severely disrupted air travel. |
| The red alert is the highest warning on the country's five-point scale. | The red alert is the highest warning on the country's five-point scale. |
| Flooding threat | Flooding threat |
| The Icelandic Met Office said a team of scientists was flying across the region on Saturday afternoon to monitor seismic activity. | The Icelandic Met Office said a team of scientists was flying across the region on Saturday afternoon to monitor seismic activity. |
| "The eruption is considered a minor event at this point," police said in a statement. | "The eruption is considered a minor event at this point," police said in a statement. |
| "Because of pressure from the glacier cap, it is uncertain whether the eruption will stay sub-glacial or not." | "Because of pressure from the glacier cap, it is uncertain whether the eruption will stay sub-glacial or not." |
| The Met Office later issued an update saying that tremor levels had decreased during the afternoon but that earthquake activity was continuing. | The Met Office later issued an update saying that tremor levels had decreased during the afternoon but that earthquake activity was continuing. |
| Virgin Atlantic said it had rerouted a flight from London to San Francisco away from the volcano as a precautionary measure. | Virgin Atlantic said it had rerouted a flight from London to San Francisco away from the volcano as a precautionary measure. |
| It said its other flights "continue to operate as normal". | It said its other flights "continue to operate as normal". |
| British Airways said it was keeping the situation "under close observation", but that its flights were continuing to operate normally for now. | British Airways said it was keeping the situation "under close observation", but that its flights were continuing to operate normally for now. |
| The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said there would be no impact on flights unless there was an actual eruption. | The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said there would be no impact on flights unless there was an actual eruption. |
| Bardarbunga and Dyngjujokull are part of a large volcano system hidden beneath the 500-metre (0.31-mile) thick Vatnajokull glacier in central Iceland. | Bardarbunga and Dyngjujokull are part of a large volcano system hidden beneath the 500-metre (0.31-mile) thick Vatnajokull glacier in central Iceland. |
| Authorities have previously warned that any eruption could result in flooding north of the glacier. | Authorities have previously warned that any eruption could result in flooding north of the glacier. |
| On Wednesday, authorities evacuated several hundred people from the area over fears of an eruption. | On Wednesday, authorities evacuated several hundred people from the area over fears of an eruption. |
| The region, located more than 300km (190 miles) from the capital Reykjavik, has no permanent residents but sits within a national park popular with tourists. | The region, located more than 300km (190 miles) from the capital Reykjavik, has no permanent residents but sits within a national park popular with tourists. |
| The move came after geologists reported that about 300 earthquakes had been detected in the area since midnight on Tuesday. | The move came after geologists reported that about 300 earthquakes had been detected in the area since midnight on Tuesday. |
| The Eyjafjallajokull eruption in April 2010 caused the largest closure of European airspace since World War Two, with losses estimated at between 1.5bn and 2.5bn euros (£1.3-2.2bn). | The Eyjafjallajokull eruption in April 2010 caused the largest closure of European airspace since World War Two, with losses estimated at between 1.5bn and 2.5bn euros (£1.3-2.2bn). |
| Criticism following the strictly enforced shutdown resulted in the CAA relaxing its rules to allow planes to fly in areas with a low density of volcanic ash. | Criticism following the strictly enforced shutdown resulted in the CAA relaxing its rules to allow planes to fly in areas with a low density of volcanic ash. |