Evacuation in response to the volcanic eruption in Eyjarfjall Glacier has begun. The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management confirms that a volcanic eruption in the Eyjafjallajökull glacier has begun. The presence of volcanic ash has been confirmed in the area of Fljótshlið. The Civil Protection, in response to the eruption, has declared a local emergency and initiated the emergency response plan. The National Emergency coordination centre in Skógarhlið, Reykjavik, has been activated and is operational. Response teams have been dispatched to the area and the situation is being closely monitored. The Local Emergency operations centre has been established in Hella and the evacuation of the area around Fljótshlid has begun. People in the area should follow these instructions. People in the area of Fljótshlið and the areas to the west of the Markarfljóts should evacuate to Hvolsvöllur and Hella. Farms to the west to Ásólfsskáli should evacuate to Heimaland. The farms of Ásólfsskáli, Skálakot and Moldnúpur should evacuate to Varmahlíð. Þorvaldseyri and all farms to the east of Hrútafell should evacuate to Drangshlið. People east of Skógará should evacuate to Vík. Three Red Cross mass care centres have been opened in the villages of Hella, Hvolsvöllur and Vík. Red Cross volunteers are ready to receive people. The Red Cross helpline, 1717, is open and able to provide information about the eruption to members of the public.
A volcanic eruption started yesterday in south Iceland at or near the Eyjafjallajökull glacier.  The first signs of the eruption were seen between 23:00 and midnight GMT. It is still not clear where the exact location of the eruption is but it appears to be on Fimmvörðuháls.
Eyjafjallajökull glacier 
People living in the area are  being evacuated. Police have closed the roads into the area and a state of emergency has been declared. The eruption is expected to result in flooding if it is under the glacier, but fortunately it appears to between Eyjafjallajökull and another glacier, Mýrdalsjökull, reducing the danger of flooding. It is reported that the eruption can be seen as far away as from Vestmannaeyjar. So far the lava flow is viscous and thick.

There is also a danger that this eruption could trigger another eruption on nearby Mt. Katla, which is an off-rift volcano beneath Mýrdalsjökull. In the past, eruptions at Eyjafjallajökull have triggered eruptions at Mt. Katla. If Katla does erupt, the effect would be far more significant than that of the current eruption, as lava could melt the ice at the top of the mountain, causing the potential for massive flooding.

The air carrier Icelandair has diverted flights which were destined for Iceland as a precaution, due to the risks to aircraft of flying into volcanic ash.  A notice to airlines prohibits flights within 120 nautical miles of the volcano.

Iceland is a volcanic island situated atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at the juncture of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.