Ash cloud could hit Canadian coast Monday: forecasters

Volcanic ash from last week's eruption in Iceland could hit the eastern coast of Canada on Monday, forecasters at Britain's Met Office said.

Forecast charts show the ash could touch Canada from about 1200 GMT, and forecaster Bob Syvret told AFP: "It does suggest that the remnants of the volcanic plume may be appearing near the Newfoundland area."

He said this was likely the remnants of the first eruption of the Eyjafjoell volcano on Wednesday, which has been carried over on an area of high pressure.

Winds have taken most of the ash cloud east, causing massive disruption to air traffic across northern Europe and leaving millions of passengers stranded around the world. Plane engines can be damaged by flying through ash.

Syvret said the ash cloud near Canada was at "lowish levels", below the level at which most flights would travel, but added: "It certainly would be an area having the risk of ash in it."

According to the Met Office forecast chart for 1800 GMT Monday, the ash would then move away again back into the Atlantic.