Iceland raises aviation color-code to red over volcano eruption

REYKJAVIK - Iceland raised the aviation color-code to red over a volcano eruption which started in north of Dyngjujokull glacier in Iceland early Friday morning, according to the Iceland's Meteorological Office (IMO).

The IMO said that the small fissure eruption started in Holuhraun lava field north of Dyngjujokull at around local time 00: 02 a.m. (0002 GMT) on Friday. Seismic tremor was observed on all seismic stations and the web camera installed in that area showed some pictures of the eruption. The activity appears to have decreased at 02:40 a.m.

The Civil Protection department of the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police (NCIP) said in a statement the fissure was 300 meters long and in direction Northeast and Southwest. No volcanic ash has been detected by radar so far. The wind in that area was blowing toward northwest at 12 meters per second at 5 km altitude. Seismic eruption tremor was low, indicating effusive eruption without significant explosive activity.

The IMO has raised the aviation color-code over the eruption site to red which indicates eruption is imminent or in progress and likely significant emission of ash into atmosphere.

A restriction on traffic was set both on the ground and in the air around the eruption site. But all airports in Iceland remained open.

The National Crisis Coordination Center is active and the NCIP has raised the Civil Protection Phase to Emergency Phase.

Seismic activity has decreased as a result of the pressure release. However, a significant amount of earthquakes were still detected in the magma dike, between the eruption site and south to about 5 km into Dyngjujokull, said the IMO, adding these earthquake were very closely monitored, but no significant change of volcanic activity has been observed so far.