A few hundred kilos of Arctic char was killed at a fish farm run by Klausturbleikja in Kirkjubaejarklaustur, south Iceland, as a consequence of the current volcanic eruption in Grímsvötn on Vatnajökull glacier.

The ash fall in Kirkjubaejarklaustur yesterday. Photo by © Robertas Mickevicius.

Meanwhile, it is assumed that Keflavík International Airport can open in the afternoon. Follow its website for further updates.

The ash blocked the grid in two tanks so that water flooded out of them and the fish with it. Birgir Thórisson, operating manager at Klausturbleikja, told ruv.is that this had occurred in the tanks where the smallest fish was kept and the grids were finer.

Thórisson said that last night the amount of ash in the air started increasing again after clearing up yesterday afternoon. Shortly before noon today the visibility was only between two and ten meters.

He is therefore unable to check whether any other tanks had flooded. He is hoping for reduced ash fall, in which case some of the fish might be saved. There is a total of 40 to 50 tons of Arctic char in the station.

Because of the ash fall, parents in south Iceland are asked to keep their children inside, whereas in Reykjavík it’s safe to let them play outside.