Since it now considered to be highly likely that there is a volcanic eruption under the south western side of the summit of Eyjafjallajökull glacier, the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, has decided to evacuate all areas in the immediate vicinity of the glacier.
People in the area of Fljótshlid, Merkurbæir, Markarfljótsaurar and Landeyjum are instructed to go and register at Red Cross Mass Care centres. These centres are located in Heimaland, Varmahlid and Drangshlid. In addition, the Red Cross Mass Care centre has been opened in the elementary school in Hvolsvöllur. The main road, National route 1, is now closed from Skeiðavegamót to the west of Skógará.
Earth tremors are reported under the summit of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier, in the south of Iceland. The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, in consultation with geophysicists from the Icelandic Meteorological Office, have already evacuated the areas to the south of the glacier as a precautionary measure. The authorities have contacted farms in this area and instructed them to move to Heimaland, Varmahlid and Drangshlid. The Police in Hvolsvöllur and local rescue teams are supervising the evacuation. The main road, National route 1, is closed from Hvolsvöllur to Skógará.
The National Emergency coordination centre in Skógarhlið, Reykjavik is operational and is monitoring the situation with geophysicists from the Icelandic Meteorological Office. In light of the increased volcanic activity under the the summit of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier, in the south of Iceland, the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, in consultation with geophysicists from the Icelandic Meteorological Office, have decided to evacuate the neighbouring areas, according to the Civil Protection evacuation plan and people are to move to the Red Cross Mass Care centres.
