Iceland Volcano Alert Reduced After Ash Fears

Iceland has cut an aviation warning after a small eruption in the Bardarbunga volcano did not create any ash.

The small fissure took place in the Holuhraun lava field, about three miles north of the vast Dyngjujoekull glacier, spewing lava more than 50 metres in the air.

The country's meteorological office raised its ash alert level to red earlier on Sunday, but reduced it after monitoring the eruption during the day.

An air exclusion zone imposed around the eruption area up to 6,000 feet (1,823 metres) was cancelled.

The met office said in a statement: "No ash has been detected. The Aviation Colour Code for Bardarbunga has therefore been reset to orange."

The eruption on Sunday at around 6am (EST) is the third to be registered in the area since August 23.

A similar fissure on Friday also prompted flights to be restricted in the area amid a warning to airlines by Icelandic authorities to be vigilant.

The Bardarbunga volcano lies under the Vatnajokull glacier, which dominates the eastern corner of Iceland.

In 2010, an ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, in another region of Iceland, closed much of Europe's air space for six days.