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ICELAND HAS RAISED its alert level for the risk of a possible volcanic eruption to orange – the second-most severe level.
The Icelandic Met Office’s orange code denotes that a “volcano shows heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption”.
The office said in a notice posted on its website that “intense eathquake swarm continues at Barðarbunga. Presently there are no signs of magma moving to the surface.”
The warning comes amid swarms of earthquakes that have taken place since Saturday in Barðarbunga (Bardarbunga) - a subglacial stratovolcano located under Iceland’s largest glacier.
Roads nearby have been closed amid fears an eruption could lead to massive flooding.
Scientists said yesterday there are two scenarios: one is an explosion outside the Vatnajokull glacier, leading to minor ash emissions and troubles locally.
The second possibility is an eruption occurring inside the glacier. Seismologist Martin Hensch says the latter could lead to ash being sent high into the atmosphere.
In 2010 the ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland caused major air traffic disruptions that stranded 10 million travellers around the world.
- Additional reporting by Susan Ryan
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They only seem smaller because we’re further away!
Annoying quiz given some of the answers are only correct given the city zone
Bismarck North Dakota official population 72,417. Smaller population than Cork by over 50,000.
@Leonard Barry: It’s the journal , they don’t do facts .
@Leonard Barry: it’s a Dublin journalist. So it’s open hatred of Cork.
@Leonard Barry: to add insult to injury the met pop of Bismarck is only 130k while Cork is 400k. 9 out 10 for the quiz master.
@prop joe: Belfast is also bigger than Anchorage
@prop joe: when they let the kids out to play
@prop joe: Best thing in Cork is the Dublin Road Every Corkian should use it Oh wait (just half of it’s)
@Anthony Doyle: Dublin is a kip.
Kilkenny
@I likes beer: Click the answer, you don’t put the answers in the comments :D
Population of Anchorage is 298k…
@conor murphy: Belfast 298001
have your say