REYKJAVIK (Reuters) – The Icelandic volcanic activity resulting in a huge cloud of ash and collapsed air traffic in Europe weakened, with less intensity in its eruptions, officials said Tuesday.

In the late hours of Tuesday, most of Europe”s airspace had been reopened, although the strong winds at higher levels meant that conditions were undefined. which left the airport authorities in Europe at the mercy of the clouds of ash.

volcano under the ice-Eyjafjallajökull about 120 miles southeast of Reykjavik, has been erupting for almost a week. Concerned that the rash can activate the neighboring volcano Katla, larger, but officials said there was no activity detected.

“Scientists tell us that the activity is decreasing. We can not assume that the worst is happening, but hope so, “he told Reuters Rognvaldur Olafsson, chief inspector of the Civil Protection Department of Iceland.

” We have less ash fall and appears to be a slightly lower activity in the crater, “he said.

However, the Icelandic Meteorological Office has continued noting strong northwest winds at high levels. “For that reason it is difficult to say (the impact on air traffic),” said Gudrun Nina Peterson, belonging to.

European airspace was closed because of fears that ash damaged the aircraft when flying in the area of the cloud.

Icelandic webcam showed a firm mass of smoke rising from the volcano in large co1000lumns, although the column was much lower than previous readings from six to 11 miles. (Http://eldgos.mila.is/eyjafjallajokull-fra-thorolfsfelli/)

BREAK “

Bjorn Oddsson, a geophysicist who flew the volcano on Tuesday along with other scientists and officials said the activity in the crater had fallen and that this could indicate a break in the eruption.

Kristin Vogfjord, a meteorologist, agreed that the volcano had achieved stability.

“There is a relatively strong tremor frequency and continuously low. It feels and is seen in the east of the volcano,” he said.

Tremors may be caused by lava inside the crater or shock in the vent of the volcano.

“Apparently, the lava is coming out of the craters, but Lava is one of the craters, “he said.

Vogfjord said scientists observed the nearby volcano Katla.

Institute of Earth Sciences University of Iceland said that Katla is one of the most active volcanoes in the country and is also covered by a glacier. Its major eruption was in 1918.

“We have no indications that there because there is an eruption and the volcano seismicity is not growing,” he added Vogfjord.

A few Icelanders have been affected by the eruption and the damage was limited mostly to nearby farmland and sparsely populated areas that have surfed some flooding and falling ash.

The capital has not experienced the fall of ashes and a police officer said the winds should be stronger and in the right direction to take the ash as far away as possible from Reykjavik.

(Additional reporting by Mia Shanley in Stockholm, Spanish Editing by Derek Caney )