Six-month long Iceland volcano eruption ends

REYKJAVIK: Iceland authorities said on Saturday that a six-month long volcanic eruption has ended, but they would continue to monitor the site.
The subglacial Bardarbunga volcano in the south-east of the country began to erupt August 31, preceded by heightened seismic activity that also resulted in air traffic alerts.
The eruption did not cause major disruptions to European air travel, unlike in 2010, when a volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier erupted.
Aerial surveillance showed that lava has stopped streaming from the Holuhraun lava field, north of the Vatnajokull glacier, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said.
Sulphur dioxide and other gases was still registered in the air near the site, and monitoring will continue as the emissions could bother people with asthma and other respiratory problems.
The Civil Protection service said areas north of the Vatnajokull glacier and roads leading into the highlands area remained closed. – dpa