A fissure eruption near Iceland’s Bardarbunga volcano was still spouting lava on Monday but no ash, a day after an eruption that briefly caused the country to raise its ash alert level for aviation to its highest level.
Iceland’s largest volcanic system – 190 km long and up to 25 km wide (118 miles by 15.5 miles) – has been hit by thousands of earthquakes over the last two weeks, putting scientists on high alert.
“The fissure eruption is continuing at a stable level,” Iceland’s Meteorological Office said in a statement. “No explosive activity is observed, the eruption remains an effusive lava eruption.”
On Sunday, lava fountains more than 50 meters [164 feet] high prompted the Met Office to raise its ash warning for aviation to red, the highest level on a five-color scale indicating, that an eruption is imminent or under way, with a risk of spewing ash.
Iceland cut the level back to orange – the next highest level – later in the day, saying the eruption was not creating ash.
In 2010, an ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, in a different region of Iceland, closed much of Europe’s air space for six days.
(Reporting by Robert Robertsson; Editing by Larry King)
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Zillow Deleting Home Climate Risk Scores Reveals Limits of Flood, Fire Data 
Abbott Presses Congress for Legal Shield Over Preemie Baby Formula Lawsuits 
Pierce Named CEO of GEICO as Combs Resigns 
Brookfield Targets Global Dominance in P/C Insurance Coverage 
