539C - Volcanic Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull

The volcanic events in Eyjafjallajökull which started in March 2010 are considered to be a single eruption divided into different phases. The first phase started on March 20 with a relatively small eruption on Fimmvörduháls. Additional localised disruptions continued for a few weeks. Beginning on April 14th the eruption entered a second phase, creating an enormous ash cloud that led to the closure of most of Europe's IFR airspace for a few days - the highest level of air travel disruption since the Second World War. This phase resulted in an estimated 250 million cubic metres of ejected tephra with the ash plume rising to a height of approx. 9 kilometres. Thick layer of ash fell on some Icelandic farms and pastures, making it very difficult to continue farming, harvesting or grazing livestock. Hundreds of farmers and their families in the worst affected areas had to be evacuated. By 21 May 2010, the second eruption phase had died down, indicating that the volcano had become dormant again.The volcanic events in Eyjafjallajökull which started in March 2010 are considered to be a single eruption divided into different phases. The first phase started on March 20 with a relatively small eruption on Fimmvörduháls. Additional localised disruptions continued for a few weeks. Beginning on April 14th the eruption entered a second phase, creating an enormous ash cloud that led to the closure of most of Europe's IFR airspace for a few days - the highest level of air travel disruption since the Second World War. This phase resulted in an estimated 250 million cubic metres of ejected tephra with the ash plume rising to a height of approx. 9 kilometres. Thick layer of ash fell on some Icelandic farms and pastures, making it very difficult to continue farming, harvesting or grazing livestock. Hundreds of farmers and their families in the worst affected areas had to be evacuated. By 21 May 2010, the second eruption phase had died down, indicating that the volcano had become dormant again.