Iceland's second-largest volcano is 'preparing to ERUPT'

Bárðarbunga the second -largest volcano in Iceland has been hit with a swarm of 130 earthquakes within just five hours .

This is a key sign an eruption could be imminent, according to The Icelandic Meteorological Office ( IMO ) The aviation colour-code has been raised from green to yellow, indicating 'heightened activity above normal background levels' The volcano's previous eruption in 2014/15 emitted large volumes of sulphur dioxide and impacted air quality.

In the past four years , Iceland has seen a series of eruptions at the Reykjanes Peninsula , a volcanic hotspot southwest of capital Reykjavik .

In late 2023 and early 2024 new volcanic fissures formed near the fishing town of Grindavik , pumping huge plumes of lava out onto the surface.

The events have revived the trauma of the disastrous explosion at another of Iceland 's volcanoes, Eyjafjallajokull , back in 2010 .

While the eruption didn't kill anyone, it did produce a huge cloud of ash that prompted the biggest global aviation shutdown since World War II .

A total of 900 flights (out of 90,000 in Europe ) were cancelled as a result of the eruption in the period May 23-25 . In 2014 , Bárðarbunga erupted in what was the biggest eruption in Iceland in more than 200 years . However, only local travel was impacted as a result..