Glacial Volcano That Triggered Floods in Iceland Erupts Again

A volcano beneath Europe’s largest glacier erupted again Wednesday, just as flooding brought on by an earlier eruption began to recede.

Ash spewed 12,000 feet in the air for 20 minutes Wednesday afternoon, just south of the site of last month’s 11-day eruption, the Morgunbladid newspaper said. The ash spread south over the uninhabited Vatnajokull glacier for about three miles.

Scientists said it was a follow-up eruption to a series of subglacial volcanic explosions last month that melted water and fed the hidden lake of Grimsvotn. It overflowed Tuesday to unleash the flood onto a plain of black volcanic sand.

Flood water gushing from beneath the glacier receded Wednesday morning after inflicting heavy damage to roads and bridges along Iceland’s south coast.

“One bridge has totally disappeared,” said Hraenn Haraldsson, director of research and development for the National Road Department. Two other bridges were damaged.