Active Volcanoes In Iceland

most active volcanoes in Iceland on Saturday, throwing a plume of ash and smoke into the sky as far aviation officials have been closely following the second volcano close the sky for several days last year.

Authorities banned flights near the volcano Grímsvötn, but said an official of the eruption should not affect air traffic in Europe for at least the next 24 hours.

Tab Grímsvötn volcano shot from 20 km (12 miles) into the sky. Home Morgunbladid newspaper, the focus was more powerful than his last in 2004.

"We closed the area until we know better what will the effect of ash," said Hjordis Gudmundsdottir, a spokesman for the CAA Isavia which have introduced bans beyond 120 nautical miles around the area .

Eyjafjallajokull Iceland has caused chaos when he broke in April last year. Authorities detained for fear of flying dust and ashes come in jet engines and cause accidents after the cloud has blown into the rails of Europe's skies.

Grímsvötn below the Vatnajökull glacier in Iceland, in the south, the largest glacier in Europe. During its last eruption in 2004 transatlantic flights had to be diverted south of Iceland, but the airports were closed.

Gudmundsdottir said the wind in the area were strong and Isavia Icelandic Meteorological Office and are coordinating with the Centers for volcanic ash (VAAC), which advises companies on the movement of clouds of volcanic ash.

There are two VAAC near Iceland in London and the French city of Toulouse.

"It can be a big eruption, but it's probably like last year," the Icelandic Met Office Hjorleifur Sveinbjornsson geologist told Reuters, referring to Eyjafjallajökull.

He said the plume Grimsvotn was going north and that the agency expected the next 24 hours is that the ash does not affect air traffic in Europe.

The volcano could erupt for several days, he said.

A positive factor in air traffic that the ash from this eruption was heavier, while the ashes last year was lighter and so went away.

Domestic airline Icelandair said no traffic had been affected. "We do not expect the Grimsvotn eruption to affect air traffic to and from the country in any way," said Icelandair communications director Gudjon Arngrimsson.

Pictures on local media websites showed a thick cloud of white smoke like a mushroom cloud over surrounding mountains.

"Grimsvotn is a very powerful volcano, so we're monitoring it closely, even if the last few eruptions have been harmless," University of Iceland geophysicist Pall Einarsson was quoted as saying on the website of Morgunbladid.

"We do not expect this to be a big one as it's coming from the same crater as the last three eruptions, which were all small," he added.