Iceland downgrades volcano threat level as activity appears to end

An aerial view of the wall Icelandic authorities have built around a geothermal power plant near Grindavík to protect it from possible lava flows. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Authorities in Iceland have downgraded the threat level from the volcano that erupted earlier this week, as officials said they could no longer observe volcanic activity at the site of the eruption.

The eruption on Monday opened a fissure in the ground about 2.5 miles (4km) long, spewing orange lava into the sky only 2 miles from the town of Grindavík.