Scientists have been flying over southern Iceland on Monday to evaluate whether a volcanic eruption which caused many local residents to be evacuated on Saturday, is now safe.

The Eyjafjallajoekull volcano began shooting ash and molten lava into the air on Saturday, after being dormant for 200 years, ripping a 1km-long fissure in a field of ice.

It resulted in 500 local residents being evacuated from their homes. The eruption also caused local and international flights to be cancelled.