Monday again red alert over Iceland volcano

Iceland's authorities have raised the aviation warning code for a region close to the sub-glacial Bardarbunga volcano after a small fissure eruption in the area. Eruption this morning happened in roughly the same place as one on Friday. The red warning code means no flights are allowed in an area of about 40 square nautical miles north of the area, up to 6,000 feet from the ground, but aviation officials said the restrictions do not affect commercial flights.

No volcanic ash has been detected, however, and the Civil Protection Department said all Icelandic airports remained open.

The country's meteorological agency said scientists were monitoring the eruption in the Holuhraun lava field, about three miles north of the Dyngjujoekull glacier.

This morning's eruption followed a smaller one in the same site on Friday that also prompted authorities to briefly raise the aviation warning code to restrict flights in the area.

Thousands of small earthquakes have rocked the region in recent days, leading to concerns that the main volcano may erupt.

Although today's fissure eruption was more powerful than the one on Friday, experts say the situation is contained and is unlikely to result in the same level of aviation chaos as 2010.

In that year, a dust cloud shut down much of Europe’s airspace for six days, affecting more than ten million people and costing £1.1billion.

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk