The eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano is a violent natural event that has drawn thousands of tourists to Iceland. But the huge cloud of ash is now proving a danger to the country's inhabitants and air traffic.
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Image: flickr/Daniel Örn
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The volcano, which lies around 200 kilometers east of Reykjavik, erupted for the first time in 200 years. The wave of glowing lava it released caused the ice in a nearby glacier to melt, which in turn forced the evacuation of local residents due to the danger of flooding. Air traffic in some parts of Europe also came to a standstill as airspace over some countries closed. The tiny particles of ash can cause airplane turbines to fail.Image: AP
