A small lava-eruption has been detected under the Dyngjujökull glacier. Dyngjujökull is a part Vatnajökull, not far from Bárðarbunga.

The Icelandic Coast Guard airplane TF-SIF is flying over the area with representatives from the Civil Protection and experts from the Icelandic Met Offic and the Institute of Earth Sciences. Data from the equipment on board is expected later today.

Data from radars and webcameras are being received, showing no signs of changes at the surface.

The estimate is that 150-400 meters of ice is above the area.

The aviation color code for the Bárðarbunga volcano has been changed from orange to red.

Update at 15:30

Three confirmations

Mel­issa Anne Pf­ef­fer at the IMO says that the Met Office will use three means to confirm that an eruption has started.

The first one is already in. Gadgets at the IMO picked up readings that ice and lava had touched under the glacier, indicating an eruption. The readings were the same as the IMO picked up when Fimmvörðuháls erupted.

The second confirmation will come in the form of increased water flow in the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river. Currently, phone systems are malfunctioning, so that the IMO does not have live updates from their station. A confirmation by these means will only be received 3 to 6 hours after an eruption has started.

Increased flow in the river is caused by the melting of the glacier.

The third confirmation would be any visual changes in the glacier. However, it is not known if the eruption will be powerful enough to break through the glacier.

Update 16:39

This is not the eruption: Some people have been following webcams placed on Bárðarbunga. Currently, there is a sandstorm there, but not an eruption.

This story will be updated