Sun Mar 21, 2:01 AM ET *By GUDJON HELGASON, Associated Press Writer Gudjon Helgason, Associated Press Writer ** – 42 mins ago*
*REYKJAVIK, Iceland – Authorities evacuated hundreds of people after a volcano erupted beneath a glacier in southern Iceland, * *Iceland's civil protection agency said Sunday.* *The eruption occurred around 11:30 p.m. Saturday (1930 EDT) beneath the Eyjafjallajokull glacier, the fifth largest glacier in Iceland.* *The volcano is covered by an ice cap.* *Fearing flooding from the glacier melt, authorities evacuated some 400 people in the area 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of the * *capital, Reykjavik, as a precaution but no damage or injuries have been reported, said Vidir Reynisson, the department manager for the * *Icelandic Civil Protection Department.* *A state of emergency has been declared in communities near the 100 square mile (160 kilometers) glacier.* *"We do not at this moment know the full extent of the eruption but a team is flying over the site now to evaluate the situation," said Reynisson.* *Three flights from the U.S. — departing from Seattle, Washington; Orlando, Florida and Boston, Massachussetts — were diverted to Boston * *because of the volcano. All domestic flights were also canceled until further notice, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service Reported.* *A European volcanic island in the North Atlantic, Iceland is largely an arctic desert with mountains, glaciers and volcanoes and agricultural * *areas in the lowlands close to the coastline.* *The last time the volcano erupted was in the 1820s.* ** *~~~Whatever mountains stands in your path, Whatever obstacle blocks your way, Whatever difficulty immobilized you, The prayer full of faith can remove it~~~. ~~~Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.~~~ [email protected]~~* *~ [email protected]~~**~* *[email protected]*
