Bardarbunga sees strongest earthquake yet – small eruption has begun

August 2014 – ICELAND - Intense earthquakes continue at the Bardarbunga volcano, with the strongest measuring 4.7 to 4.8 in magnitude. The earthquake happened just before midnight and since then a further 400 tremors have been detected. “Seismic activity in Bardarbunga and Dyngjujökull is still great. It diminished somewhat after two o‘clock in the morning,” said the Icelandic Met Office. “The activity continues and an eruption can therefore not be ruled out,” added the Met Office, which continues to have a banner on its website saying “Presently there are no signs of magma moving to the surface.” Yesterday, UK aviation bosses said they are not expecting any flight disruptions at the moment. Both the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and NATS, the UK air traffic control company, told the Weather Network UK they are keeping a close eye on the situation. Earlier in the week, the Icelandic authorities evacuated an area close to Bardarbunga volcano over fears that it could erupt.  –Weather Network

Eruption has begun: Iceland’s Meteorological Office says a small lava eruption has begun underneath a glacier at the Bardarbunga volcano, the Associated Press reports. Seismic data showed ice melting beneath the Vatnajokull glacier, but it remains unclear if or when the eruption would break through the ice, sending ash and steam into the air. On Saturday, the agency changed the aviation alert for the volcano from orange to red, a move that signals an eruption is either imminent or already in progress. The country also put its Coast Guard on alert, Bloomberg reports. Earthquakes had been happening “so quickly that it is difficult for the seismologist to discern individual events,” a statement on the Met Office’s web site reads. As concern increased last week over a possible eruption of Iceland’s Bardarbunga volcano, authorities evacuated tourists from area.

Iceland’s Civil Protection Department says 300-500 people, mostly visitors, have been evacuated from the highlands north of the Vatnajokull glacier, which is popular with hikers. Officials said Wednesday the measure was taken as a safety precaution, the Associated Press reports. Roads in the area have been closed in the event that an eruption would lead to flooding. Air travel experts are also watching the situation closely. The volcano sits in a major flight path from the U.K. to North America, and an eruption would cause chaos. –Weather Channel