Icelandic Volcano Eruption Continues
- 14 years ago
On Wednesday, scientists went to investigate the volcano that erupted near the Eyjafjallajokull (probably pronounced “eye-a-fyall-yokull”) glacier in the south of Iceland. Volcanic activity was stable at the time.
For the first time, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, near the glacier of the same name, erupted late on Saturday.
But earlier in the week, it had shown signs of increased activity. And scientists warn that it could trigger a far more powerful eruption at Mount Katla - a powerful volcano lying under a glacier nearby.
While there are no immediate signs the eruption has caused any changes in Katla, three previous eruptions at Eyjafjallajokull have triggered eruptions at Mount Katla.
An eruption at Mount Katla could melt huge amounts of ice and cause massive floods, potentially affecting a town of 300 people nearby.
On Sunday, rescue teams evacuated 500 people from the rural area around the volcano and police declared a local state of emergency.
International flights were diverted because of the risk of interference from ash clouds.
No injuries or damage to property were reported.
Iceland sits on a volcanic hotspot in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and has relatively frequent eruptions, though most occur in sparsely populated areas and pose little danger to people or property.
The last eruption in Iceland took place in 2004.
For the first time, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, near the glacier of the same name, erupted late on Saturday.
But earlier in the week, it had shown signs of increased activity. And scientists warn that it could trigger a far more powerful eruption at Mount Katla - a powerful volcano lying under a glacier nearby.
While there are no immediate signs the eruption has caused any changes in Katla, three previous eruptions at Eyjafjallajokull have triggered eruptions at Mount Katla.
An eruption at Mount Katla could melt huge amounts of ice and cause massive floods, potentially affecting a town of 300 people nearby.
On Sunday, rescue teams evacuated 500 people from the rural area around the volcano and police declared a local state of emergency.
International flights were diverted because of the risk of interference from ash clouds.
No injuries or damage to property were reported.
Iceland sits on a volcanic hotspot in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and has relatively frequent eruptions, though most occur in sparsely populated areas and pose little danger to people or property.
The last eruption in Iceland took place in 2004.