The volcano near the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier began to erupt shortly after midnight, leading to road closures in the area.

It is almost 200 years since a volcano near Eyjafjallajoekull, 120km (75 miles) east of Reykjavik, last erupted.

There are fears that the volcano could cause flooding, as it causes ice to melt on the glacier.

"Ash has already begun to fall in Fljotshlid and people in the surrounding area have reported seeing bright lights emanating from the glacier,"
BBC News - Volcano erupts in south Iceland