Iceland Review’s reporters, editor Bjarni Brynjólfsson and photographer Páll Stefánsson, are now on location of the eruption at Skógar. Since the road is closed at Markarfljót they had to take the very long route, flying to Egilstadir in eastern Iceland last night, rent a car and drive nonstop to Kirkjubæjarklaustur, where they arrived at five o’clock in the morning. They then drove into the wall of ash on their trail towards the Eyjafjallajökull area.

Visibility in the ash was zero at points and they had to stop until wind picked up and the ash had blown away.

One of the most terrible consequences of an eruption like this is the effect on animals. Most domestic animals are still in house, but the birds have no shelter. This is the season when birds are migrating back to Iceland.

All inhabitants have been evacuated so nobody is in this area except our reporters and the police. A policeman had to walk in front of the car when it was going through the darkest smoke.

The accompanying photos were taken this afternoon in the Skógar area. Black smoke and ash are being thrown out of the crater at high speed.

Our special offer for the Iceland Review magazine with eruption photos and coverage. Now you can also buy a unique book with Páll Stefánsson's photographs of the eruption on Fimmvörduháls.