The aviation industry was warned about potential flight disruptions after “intense seismic tremors” were recorded from Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano this week.
Iceland’s Met Office has also raised the risk level for the aviation industry from yellow to orange, which is the fourth level on the five-level scale. Another statement explained that the strongest earthquake in the region since 1996 was recorded early on Monday.
The same statement explained: "Presently there are no signs of eruption, but it cannot be excluded that the current activity will result in an explosive sub-glacial eruption, leading to an outburst flood and ash emission.”
However, news broke today that authorities are evacuating the 300-strong population surrounding Bardarbunga as a “precautionary measure", after geologists recorded 1,000 small earthquakes in the vicinity of the volcano on Tuesday of this week.
Bárðarbunga, Vatnajökull ice-cap in 1996 (Copyright: Oddur Sigurðsson)
When Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010 it produced an ash cloud that drastically impacted air travel across the northern hemisphere.
The eruption led to the largest airspace shutdown since World War Two with more than 100,000 flights cancelled - and there are fears that Bardarbunga could cause similar chaos.
Met Office seismologists have also said the risk of a similarly disruptive ash cloud may be secondary to the risk of flood waves from a potential eruption beneath the Vatnajokull glacier.
A graphic showing seismic activity around Bardarbunga (Copyright: Icelandic Met Office)