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Icelandic volcanic ash alert back to orange after eruption

Iceland has cut its ash alert level for aviation to orange from red after raising it to the maximum level earlier in the day due to a fresh eruption from a fissure in the Bardarbunga volcano system.

Iceland's largest volcanic system has been hit by thousands of earthquakes over the last two weeks and scientists have been on high alert.

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

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Earthquake hits near Icelandic volcano

A 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck near the Icelandic volcano Bardabunga this morning, the Icelandic Met Office said.

Bardarbunga volcano system in Iceland pictured on Friday. Credit: Reuters

Several tremors at the Bardabunga volcano over the past two weeks have prompted fears of a repeat of 2010 when the majority of airspace across Europe was closed for six days due to a volcanic eruption.

They earthquake is possibly related to subsidence of the volcano, the office said.

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