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Aviation alert level lowered following small eruption at Icelandic volcano

There has been a small eruption north of Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano after nearly two weeks of ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

11.38 29 Aug 2014


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Aviation alert level lowered f...

Aviation alert level lowered following small eruption at Icelandic volcano

Newstalk
Newstalk

11.38 29 Aug 2014


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There has been a small eruption north of Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano after nearly two weeks of earthquakes in the region. Authorities say no volcanic ash has been detected, as the eruption isn't explosive.

The Icelandic Met Office has lowered the warning code for aviation over the site to orange. It had earlier been raised to red - the highest level.

A red warning indicates that "an eruption is imminent or in progress, and that a significant emission of ash into the atmosphere is likely". An orange alert indicates that a "volcano shows heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption".

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The website of the Icelandic Met Office warns that "a fissure eruption has started north of Dynjujökull".

Iceland's Air Traffic Control initially closed down airspace below 18,000ft after the eruption but it was then lowered to just 5,000ft.

Seismologist Martin Hensch says issuing a red warning as a precaution is standard procedure when an eruption is detected:

The eruption, which took place approximately five miles north of the Bardarbunga volcano, follows a fortnight of earthquakes throughout the region.

The development of an ash cloud in Iceland could be disastrous for the aviation industry and cause widespread disruption for travellers.

In 2010, an ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano left vast swathes of European airspace closed for six days. More than 10 million people were affected.

There have been fears that insurers may not pay claims related to future ash cloud disruption, on the basis that repeated warnings from the Icelandic Met Office make it a "known event".

Originally posted 11:35am


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