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(Reuters) – A volcanic eruption in Iceland, which has thrown up a 6-km (3.7 mile) high plume of ash and disrupted air traffic across northern Europe, has grown more intense, an expert explains.
The eruption under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier continued to spew large amounts of ash and smoke into the air and showed no signs of abating after 40 hours of activity, said Pall Einarsson, a geophysicist at the University of Iceland.
“The seismographs are showing that since this morning the intensity of the eruption seems to be growing,” he said.
Hot fumes had melted up to a third of the glacial ice covering the crater, causing a nearby river to burst its banks, and frequent explosions on the floor of the crater sounded like bombs going off.
Icelandic volcano spews ash cloud into atmosphere
Footage has been released of an erupting volcano in Iceland which is affecting flights in and out of the UK as clouds of ash spread.
Hundreds of flights have already been cancelled at airports in Scotland and northern England and the ash cloud is forecast to spread southwards towards London.
[Update] Volcanic ash cloud grounds flights across Europe
PARIS (France24.com) – Flights across Nordic countries and all of Western Europe have been effected and airports continue to shut down completely stranding thousands of air travelers.
Belgium, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden all shut down their airspace because the ash was a threat to jet engines and visibility. There was also major disruption in Finland, France, Germany and Spain.
Had dinner tonight with friends staying over here in NY area because of this. Quite something.
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(BBC News) – Millions of stranded travellers face further air chaos as the volcanic ash from Iceland that has closed most of Europe’s airspace continues to spread.
“We don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel yet,” a spokesman for the international airline industry said.
Expected path of cloudAn estimated three-quarters of flights were cancelled on Saturday. About 20 countries closed their airspace – some have extended flight bans into Monday.
Scientists say the Icelandic volcano activity shows no sign of abating.
Iceland volcano in maps
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.".
(BBC News) – The EU has said it will reduce a no-fly zone imposed after much of Europe’s airspace was closed because of the spread of volcanic ash from Iceland.
Transport minsters said there would be a core no-fly zone, another zone open to all flights and a third “caution” zone, allowing some flights. The move came as the UK, Germany, France and Belgium said they would begin to reopen airspace on Tuesday.
Netherlands, Schiphol to reopen this evening
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."