By Madhuri Dey
Reykjavik, Iceland, Mar 21, (THAINDIAN NEWS) On the wee hours of morning on Sunday, a volcano erupted in Iceland, triggering fears that it might lead to a major catastrophe. The volcano had been dormant for the past two hundred years, and it erupted in the vicinity of the fifth largest glacier in the country, the Eyjafjallajokull glacier. However, the eruption of the volcano occurred in a much smaller scale, and so far, there have been no reports of casualties or damage to property, as per the reports of the civil protection agency of the country. However, precautionary measures have been taken. About 450 residents of the area have been asked to evacuate, and Red Cross camps have been set up for the evacuees.

Scientists have also kept a close watch on the volcano for any further eruption. Fissures are visible, and one of them is half a mile in length. The Civil Protection Department has issued an emergency alert, and the people who had been evacuated have been asked not to return to their homes soon before they are given the all-clear. Moreover, flights to and from Iceland have also been canceled.

Initially, when the volcano was seen erupting, it was assumed that it might have erupted right beneath the huge glacier of Eyjafjallajokull. Had that happened, a huge fissure might have been formed on the glacier, which would have resulted in melting of the ice and hence heavy flooding. However, the scientists conducted an aerial observation of the site and the volcano’s position, and it was found that the volcano had been formed near one side of the glacier which is in Southern Iceland.