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Case Study – The 2010 eruption of Eyjafjnallajokull

Cambridge iGCSE Geography > The Natural Environment > Earthquakes and Volcanoes > Case Study – The 2010 eruption of Eyjafjnallajokull

Case Study – The 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull

Background information.

Location: Eyjafjallajökull is located in southern Iceland.

Level of Development in Iceland: Iceland is a developed country with a strong economy. It has advanced infrastructure, healthcare, education, and a high standard of living.

Volcano Details: Eyjafjallajökull is a composite (stratovolcano) covered by an ice cap.  The name describes the volcano, with Eyja meaning island, fjalla meaning mountain, and jokull meaning glacier. You can find out how to pronounce Eyjafjallajokull on the BBC website .

Its eruption can cause significant ash plumes and glacial meltwater floods known as “jökulhlaups.”

What caused the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull?

Iceland is situated on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a constructive plate boundary that divides the North American Plate from the Eurasian Plate. These two tectonic plates gradually drift apart because of the ridge push exerted along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. As they move away from each other, magma from beneath the Earth’s crust fills the magma chambers located below Eyjafjallajökull. The interconnection of several of these chambers has created a substantial reservoir of magma beneath the volcano. Eyjafjallajökull is positioned underneath a glacier, adding to its complex structure.

What were the primary effects of the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull?

• Ash Cloud: The eruption created a massive ash cloud that turned day to night. The ash drifted over Europe.
• Air Travel Disruption: Over 100,000 flights were cancelled, affecting around 10 million travellers.
• Local Flooding: Melting glaciers caused flooding in the nearby areas.
• Damage to Agriculture : Ash fall led to the loss of grazing areas and contaminated water supplies.
• Property and roads: Homes and roads were damaged.

What were the secondary effects of the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull?

• Economic Impact : The airline industry alone lost £130 million a day due to airspace closure, totalling an estimated $1.7 billion. The price of shares in major airlines dropped between 2.5-3.3% during the eruption. Other sectors, such as tourism and farming, were also significantly affected.
• Environmental Impact : Long-term effects on soil and water quality were observed. Local water supplies were contaminated with fluoride.
• Health Concerns: Respiratory issues were reported due to fine ash particles in the air.
• Impacts on Kenya: The impact was felt as far afield as Kenya, where farmers laid off 5000 workers after flowers and vegetables rotted at airports. Kenya’s flower council says the country lost $1.3m daily in lost shipments to Europe.

What were the immediate responses to the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull?

• Evacuation : Around 800 people were evacuated from the immediate vicinity.
• Airspace Closure: European airspace was closed for several days.
• Emergency Services: Immediate response from local authorities, firefighters, and rescue teams.

What were the long-term responses to the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull?

• Monitoring and Research: Improved monitoring systems and research into ash cloud movement.
• Economic Support: Financial assistance for affected farmers and businesses.
• Regulations: Improved regulations for air travel during volcanic ash events.
• Airspace: The European Union developed an integrated structure for air traffic management. As a result, nine Functional Airspace Blocks (FABs) will replace the existing 27 areas. This means following a volcanic eruption in the future, areas of air space may be closed, reducing the risk of closing all European air space.

What opportunities did the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull bring?

Despite the challenges brought about by the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, several benefits emerged from the event. One of the positive impacts was the environmental saving; the grounding of European flights during the eruption prevented the release of approximately 2.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, as the Environmental Transport Association noted.

Additionally, the disruption in air travel led to a boon for other modes of transportation. Eurostar, for instance, experienced a significant increase in passenger numbers. The company recorded nearly a third rise in travel, accommodating 50,000 extra passengers on trains during this period.

Furthermore, the volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajökull deposited dissolved iron into the North Atlantic Ocean. This led to a plankton bloom, enhancing biological productivity in the region.

In response to the eruption’s negative publicity, the Icelandic government initiated a campaign to bolster tourism. The “Inspired by Iceland” initiative was launched with the specific goal of showcasing the nation’s scenic beauty, the warmth of its people, and the reassurance that Iceland was ready to welcome visitors. Consequently, the campaign had a positive effect, as evidenced by a substantial increase in tourist numbers, as depicted in the graph below.

Foreign visitor arrivals to Iceland

How does Iceland prepare for volcanic eruptions, and what was its impact?

Iceland has an effective monitoring system for its active volcanoes, with seismic stations and other instruments. There is close cooperation between meteorological, geological, and civil protection authorities. Public education and emergency planning are also vital to Iceland’s preparation strategy.

Iceland’s preparedness and rapid response, such as evacuating the area close to the volcano, mitigated the local impact of the eruption. However, the unprecedented disruption to air travel highlighted the need for better international coordination and understanding of volcanic ash’s effects on aviation.

The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 is a crucial example of how a volcanic event can have local and global impacts. The incident underscored the importance of preparedness, monitoring, and international cooperation in minimizing the effects of such natural disasters. It also highlighted the interconnectedness of our modern world and how a geological event in one country can have far-reaching consequences.

Location and Eruption Details

Eyjafjallajökull erupted in 2010 in southern Iceland; it’s a stratovolcano covered by an ice cap. The eruption was caused by the North American Plate drifting from the Eurasian Plate along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, creating a magma reservoir beneath the volcano.

Primary Effects

The eruption led to a massive ash cloud, air travel disruption with over 100,000 flights cancelled, local flooding from melting glaciers, and damage to agriculture, homes, and roads.

Secondary Effects

Economic loss reached an estimated $1.7 billion in the airline industry, long-term environmental impacts, health concerns from ash particles, and far-reaching effects on other countries like Kenya.

Immediate Responses

Approximately 800 people were evacuated; European airspace was closed for several days; emergency services responded quickly.

Long-Term Responses and Opportunities

Improved monitoring, regulations, and economic support were implemented; benefits included reduced CO2 emissions, increased passenger numbers in trains like Eurostar, enhanced biological productivity in the North Atlantic, and a successful Icelandic tourism campaign.

Preparedness and Impact

Iceland’s effective monitoring, public education, and emergency planning mitigated the local impact but emphasized the need for international coordination and understanding of volcanic ash’s effects on aviation. The eruption illustrated the interconnectedness of modern society and the far-reaching consequences of geological events.

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Eyjafjallajökull 2010: How Icelandic volcano eruption closed European skies

Ten years ago the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökul erupted, sending a plume of volcanic ash over nine kilometers into the sky. 

The eruption was relatively small but its impact was massive. Europe experienced air travel chaos for almost one month as much of the continent ground to a standstill.

Eyjafjallajökul’s eruption remains one of the most memorable events of the twenty-first century and is also one of the defining moments for our aircraft research team, who played a key role in reopening European air space.

The Eyjafjallajökul eruption

The ice-capped volcano started to erupt in mid-March, following several months of increased seismic activity in Iceland. 

The first eruptions were isolated on the North-East flank, but problems started to arise in April when the eruptions spread to the centre of the volcano, a three kilometer-wide crater surrounded by ice.

As the ice started to melt, glacial water began flooding into the volcano where it met the bubbling magma at the centre of the eruptions. This rapid cooling caused the magma to shear into fine, jagged ash particles.  

Large plumes of volcanic ash quickly spread above the volcano, moving eastwards with the jetstream towards the Faroe Islands, Norway, and northern Scotland.

Iceland responded by declaring a state of emergency and European airspace was closed as a safety precaution. It is estimated that airlines lost an estimated £130m every day that airspace remained closed, while millions of passengers were left stranded. 

In order to reopen air space and reduce the economic impacts and disruption to travellers, the National Centre for Atmospheric Science was called in to map the volcanic plume. 

Mapping the plume from the air and the ground

The ash plume contained large amounts of microscopic particles of hard volcanic rock , which can cause serious damage to any aircraft flying through.

Scientists from the National Centre for Atmospheric Science worked closely with the Civil Aviation Authority and the Met Office to track the plume and its contents using scientific instruments fitted to two research aircraft, alongside a series of computer models. 

The FAAM Airborne Laboratory’s research aircraft was fitted with a special instrument that uses a laser to illuminate the ash particles from above. Another aircraft, a Dornier, flew below the plume to help map the ash.

The two aircraft were able to fly where commercial airlines could not, due to their ability to detect the volcanic plume via the research instruments on board. 

To sample different layers of the plume, the aircraft flew up and down at heights between two and six kilometers. Meanwhile, scientists on the ground used computer models to build a picture of how the plume was moving. 

“We used the NOAA HYSPLIT model to track the dispersion of the volcanic plume.” says Professor Stephen Mobbs, Executive Director of the National Centre for Atmospheric Science.

“This model tracks the trajectories of atmospheric pollutants from sources, using the observed wind fields as interpreted by global weather forecasting models.”

Dangers of volcanic ash to aircraft

Our response to the environmental emergency was pivotal in enabling passenger aircraft to return safely to the skies.

The volcanic ash was electrically conductive which meant it could cause thunder and lightning, or St Elmo’s Fire – an effect where metal parts of an aircraft start to glow. The airspeed indicator – which is essential for safe flight – can also be adversely affected making control of the aircraft very difficult. Dust is also likely to enter the aircraft, causing sulphurous smells and haze. Professor Guy Gratton, Cranfield University

Professor Guy Gratton, Associate Professor in Aviation and the Environment at Cranfield University, says that volcanic ash could cause plane engines to seize:

“As they touch the aircraft, and particularly the engines, the hard rock particles can wear away the skin of an aircraft, its windscreens, and engine components. At the high temperatures inside a jet engine the particles can potentially block fuel nozzles or even melt and then solidify in other parts of the engine causing mishandling or engine stoppage.”

Future environmental emergencies

After the Eyjafjallajökul eruption, Professor Stephen Mobbs and Dr Susan Loughlin, Head of Volcanology at the British Geological Survey, were appointed to advisory groups set up by the UK government to respond to similar environmental emergencies in future. 

Researchers continue to watch Iceland’s volcanoes, and have since returned on a mission to monitor gases – including carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide – over the potentially most active volcanoes. 

Recently, there have been peaks in these warning gases, which can indicate an eruption is on the way. There are several large volcanoes in Iceland, and when they erupt they are likely to have considerable effects across western Europe and beyond. One is Katla, which last erupted in 1918 and is widely considered to be overdue for an eruption.

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Eyjafjallajokull 2010 volcanic eruption case study

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This award-winning geography case study video resource reflects on the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in 2010 and looks ahead to potential volcanic eruptions in Iceland.

In this video, we cover:

- The causes and impacts of the eruption, with visits to some of the localities directly affected - Volcano monitoring and preparedness - The impacts associated with the future eruption of Katla - Positive impacts of the volcanic eruption on tourism in Iceland

This teaching resource uses narrative, incisive interviews of local people, stunning archive footage of the eruption itself and supportive maps and diagrams to show that, through detailed scientific knowledge and monitoring, the people in Iceland not only understand the threats posed by volcanic eruptions but also see the rich benefits of living in the ‘Land of Fire and Ice’.

Visit Discover the World Education to download the free teaching resources, which accompany this video: http://bit.ly/2xzJ8r5

The 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, Iceland

• Publisher: © Icelandic Meteorological Office – Bústaðavegur 7–9 IS 150 Reykjavik, Iceland © Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland – Askja, Sturlugata 7 IS 101 Reykjavik, Iceland © The National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police – Skúlagata 21 IS 101 R
• Editor: Barði Þorkelsson
• ISBN: 978-9979-9975-4-2

• National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police

• University of Iceland

• Icelandic Meteorological Office

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Eyjafjallajökull volcano

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• Trinity College Dublin - Eyjafjallajokull and the 2010 Closure of European Airspace: Crisis Management, Economic Impact, and Tackling Future Risks
• Academia - Ice & Fire: The Volcanic Eruption of Eyjafjallajokull
• PNAS - Characterization of Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash particles and a protocol for rapid risk assessment
• National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Long-term health effects of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption: a prospective cohort study in 2010 and 2013
• Global Volcanism Program - Eyjafjallajökull
• Eyjafjallajökull volcano - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Eyjafjallajökull volcano , subglacial volcano , southern Iceland , lying within the country’s East Volcanic Zone. Its name is derived from an Icelandic phrase meaning “the island’s mountain glacier,” and the volcano itself lies beneath Eyjafjallajökull (Eyjafjalla Glacier). Its highest point rises to 5,466 feet (1,666 metres) above sea level .

Records kept since Iceland was settled show that Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted in 920, 1612 or 1613, and 1821–23. The latter eruption continued intermittently for nearly 14 months. In these three cases the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano occurred simultaneously with or was shortly followed by the eruption of Katla , a volcano located some 15.5 miles (25 km) to the east.

The Eyjafjallajökull eruption sequence of 2010, which lasted from January until May of that year, began with the onset of clusters of small earthquakes , and by early March the earthquake activity had increased in intensity and frequency. On March 21, fountains of lava began exiting through a 0.3-mile- (500-metre-) long vent in the ice-free Fimmvörduháls Pass, which separates the Eyjafjallajökull glacier from the larger glacier Mýrdalsjökull to the east. On April 14, lava from new fissures surfaced beneath the crater of the glacier-covered summit. The heat from the lava quickly melted and vaporized the glacier ice above. Mud, ice, and meltwater running off the volcano swelled local rivers and streams, especially the Markarfljót glacial river west of the volcano, which flooded farmland and damaged roads. Expanding gases from the rapid vaporization of ice started a series of moderate phreatomagmatic explosions (which result from the contact of water and magma ) that sent a plume of steam and ash almost 7 miles (11 km) into the atmosphere . The plume was driven southeast, across the North Atlantic Ocean to northern Europe , by the prevailing winds . Fearing the damage to commercial aircraft and potential loss of life that could result from flying through the ash cloud, many European countries closed their national airspace and grounded flights for several days.

• Effects on Aircraft
• Signs of an Encounter
• Actions for Flight Crew
• Global Mitigation
• Eyjafjallajökull Impact
• Resources & References

The 2010 eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano had a huge impact on air travel, changing the assessment of risk by the aviation sector and catalyzing new lines of scientific investigation. Ash advisories derived from dispersion-model output were issued by the London VAAC, depicting the presence of ash over large parts of Europe and the North Atlantic. Based on those advisories, over 300 airports in about two dozen countries, and a correspondingly large airspace, were closed in Europe during 15-21 April 2010. This resulted in massive impacts on air travel worldwide. Over 100,000 flights were cancelled over that week, affecting 7 million passengers, and resulting in $1.7 billion USD in lost revenue to airlines according to an analysis by Oxford Economics.

To reopen airspace, European aviation authorities endorsed the creation of a new type of concentration chart advisory product that delineated hazard zones based on dispersion model output of ash concentrations. So called 'low' ash concentrations were deemed to be defined as 3 . The concentration charts were adopted by air traffic management and airlines with the expectation that zones of low density ash could be transited with no or minimal risk of immediate aircraft damage providing a regime of enhanced risk assessment by airlines, including more frequent aircraft inspections, was adopted. Currently, concentration charts have only been adopted for operational use in Europe and the North Atlantic region, as outlined in Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan EUR and NAT Regions . The scientific validity and operational utility of the ash concentration charts have been questioned by international experts and therefore have not been implemented outside Europe.

Also in response to Eyjafjallajökull's impact on air travel, ICAO formed the International Volcanic Ash Task Force (IVATF) in May 2010, charging it to examine how best to define hazardous airspace and manage aviation risk. The IVATF included representatives from government and industry groups involved in aviation regulation, operations, and scientific investigations. The IVATF finished its work in June 2012, and a record of its results is available.

On the scientific front, there has been a notable increase in volcanic-cloud research since Eyjafjallajökull and the Cordon Caulle long-lived ash plume of 2011. A burst of scientific articles has been published, including in special journal issues (Hasager et al, 2010; Langmann et al., 2012). Overall, these eruptions have prompted the aviation industry, regulators, and scientists to work more closely together to improve the manner in which hazardous airspace is defined, forecast, and communicated.

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An Iceland volcano erupts again but spares the nearby town of Grindavik for now

A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted for the sixth time since December, on Thursday spewing lava through a new fissure on the Reykjanes Peninsula. (AP video shot by Marco Di Marco)

Tourists and visitors try to get a view of the eruption from a distance from the intersection between Reykjanesbraut, Iceland, and the road to Grindavik, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco di Marco)

A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, for the sixth time since December, spewing red lava through a new fissure on the Reykjanes Peninsula.( Iceland Civil Defense via AP)

View of the lava fountains pouring out from the new eruptive fissure opened at Svartsengi volcanic system, Iceland, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in a similar location as the previous eruptions. The fissure is 3 km north of Grindavik. (AP Photo/Marco di Marco)

Tourists and visitors try to get a view of a volcanic eruption from a distance at the intersection between Reykjanesbraut, Iceland, and the road to Grindavik, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco di Marco)

Photographers and journalists on location filming and reporting on the new fissure north of Grindavik, Iceland, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, (AP Photo/Marco di Marco)

A new volcanic eruption is seen from the intersection between Reykjanesbraut, Iceland, and the road to Grindavik, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco di Marco)

A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, for the sixth time since December, spewing red lava through a new fissure on the Reykjanes Peninsula. (Iceland Civil Defense via AP)

The sign with the direction to the blue lagoon with the new eruption in the background in Grindavik, Iceland, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, (AP Photo/Marco di Marco)

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GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Lava continued to spew from a volcano in southwestern Iceland on Friday — the sixth time since December the volcano has erupted on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

The eruption from a new fissure began shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday following a series of strong earthquakes and within the hour a 4-kilometer (2.4-mile) fissure cut through the Sundhnúkur crater.

Iceland authorities say the eruption’s effects remain localized with road closures but do not threaten the population.

Halldór Björnsson, head of weather and climate at the Norwegian Meteorological Agency, told the Icelandic news portal Vísir that unlike previous eruptions , the lava flow was not heading for the town of Grindavik that was largely evacuated in December when the volcano came to life after being dormant for 800 years.

“If this continues like this, Grindavík is not in danger,” geophysicist Magnús Tuma Guðmundsson told the website after flying over the eruption. “Of course, we don’t know what will happen in the near future, but it is likely that this has reached its peak and then it will start to subside like the other eruptions.”

As news of the eruption spread, hundreds of curious onlookers drove to nearby vantage points for a view of the stunning natural phenomenon that has become a key tourism attraction .

“We just thought that it was the northern lights,” said Mahnoor Ali, visiting from Maryland in the U.S. “It’s like the coolest thing I’ve seen in my whole life, honestly.”

Friends Ameerul Awalludin from Malaysia and Shohei Miyamito from Japan were with an Icelandic friend when they heard the news and quickly rushed to the region of the eruption.

“We have like a volcano as well,” said Miyamito, but “we cannot see lava like this.”

But for people living and working on the Reykjanes Peninsula, the regular eruptions and ensuing evacuation orders cause more frustration than excitement.

The repeated volcanic eruptions close to Grindavík , a town of 3,800 people about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of the capital, Reykjavik, have damaged infrastructure and property and forced many residents to relocate to guarantee their safety.

The few who had returned were forced out once again Thursday night as strong winds blew plumes of toxic gas over the town.

The nearby Blue Lagoon geothermal spa — one of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions — was also evacuated with social media videos showing sirens blasting around dusk.

The spa was closed Friday but staff was preparing to reopen it, Helga Árnadóttir, manager of sales, operations and services, told national broadcaster RUV.

Iceland, which sits above a volcanic hot spot in the North Atlantic , averages one eruption every four to five years. The most disruptive in recent times was the 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which spewed clouds of ash into the atmosphere and disrupted trans-Atlantic air travel for months.

The latest eruption is not expected to impact air travel.

Keyton reported from Berlin.

Worst Volcanic Activity In 50 Years In Iceland After Major Volcano Eruption

Iceland is one of the world's volcanic hot spots due to its position on the mid-Atlantic ridge where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates rift apart.

Iceland with over 600 hot springs is one of the most geologically active places on earth.

A volcanic eruption has begun again on a peninsula adjacent to Iceland's capital Reykjavik, the sixth time lava has emerged in the area in the space of a year.

Lava burst to the surface at 9:26 p.m. local time on Thursday from a fissure that's expanding northward, according to the Met Office. The crack, north of the previously damaged fishing town of Grindavik, was initially about 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles) long, the authorities said.

The scenario was anticipated, with scientists warning for several weeks of activity in the area after it woke from an 800-year dormancy in 2021. There's likely more to come, with potential for the unrest to continue for the next 300 to 400 years, according to Thor Thordarson, professor in volcanology and petrology at University of Iceland.

"This could be repeated over again for the next months or a few years," he said by phone. "We can have many more eruptions in this particular unrest event, which has lasted since 2021."

Reykjavik, which lies about about 40 kilometers away, has been unaffected by the previous outbursts, and air traffic at nearby Keflavik international airport is not expected to be disrupted.

The devastation in Grindavik means the current volcanic activity is the most destructive in half a century and has thrust the north Atlantic island nation into a new era of contending with the fiery outbursts. The town has been severely damaged by the seismic activity, with deadly cracks emerging on its roads. Lava even overtook three houses in one of the five eruptions on its doorstep.

The previous outburst ended in mid-June, having lasted for 25 days.

Even as Iceland - with its 30 volcanic systems and more than 600 hot springs - is one of the most geologically active places on earth, most eruptions have tended to happen in the wilderness. The contrast with suddenly witnessing homes burn has left the population shocked.

Most of Grindavik's 3,700 inhabitants have already relocated from the town previously. About 20 homes were occupied when Thursday's eruption started and their occupants are being evacuated, Hjordis Gudmundsdottir, a spokeswoman for the civil protection authority, said by phone.

"There is no panic and no danger," she said. "The inhabitants now know the drill and how to react."

Officials are evaluating how big the eruption is, she said. Lava is currently not flowing toward the town itself.

Iceland's government has built protective barriers around the town. Those have successfully steered lava flows away from most large-scale infrastructure. The state has also offered to buy out home owners in the volcano struck-town.

Still, roads and pipelines have been overrun by lava in previous eruptions and have had to be rebuilt. Last winter, all 30,000 inhabitants of the peninsula were without hot water for several days after molten rock overtook a pipeline.

Other infrastructure in the area include the Svartsengi power plant owned by HS Orka hf and a number of businesses centered around geothermal heat and power as well as Iceland's top tourist attraction, the Blue Lagoon.

Before the events in Reykjanes, Iceland had previously seen an eruption in inhabited areas in 1973, when part of a 5,000-person fishing town was buried under lava in the the Westman Islands, off the country's southeastern coast.

Fissure eruptions on land, such as the current one, produce little ash and usually wreak no havoc on air travel.

One of the most disruptive eruptions in Iceland's recent history happened in 2010 when volcano Eyjafjallajokull in the southern part of the country released a plume of ash so vast that it grounded air traffic across Europe for weeks, resulting in the cancellation of 100,000 flights and affecting over 10 million people.

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"Years or decades in the future, after this has stopped, we will get another unrest event similar to this one with a number of eruptions and number of seismic unrest on all the volcanic lineaments of the Reykjanes peninsula," said Thordarson at the University of Iceland.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Emergency declared after volcano erupts in Iceland creating major fissure and fast moving lava flows

A large fissure has opened on the Reykjanes peninsula 2.42 miles (3.9km) wide. Lava is already spreading over a large area.

Friday 23 August 2024 09:01, UK

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Police in Iceland have declared a state of emergency after a volcano erupted, forcing homes to be evacuated.

The eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula, in southwest Iceland , is the sixth outbreak since December.

Iceland's meteorological office recorded increased seismic activity and earthquakes at the volcanic hill, Sundhnukar, days before the volcano erupted.

A large fissure has opened up nearby, at the Sundhnukagígar crater north of Grindavik , with lava flowing both east and west.

One estimate by the country's Met Office suggests "the lava flow has travelled about 1km in 10 minutes".

Experts also said the total length of the fissure was about 2.42 miles (3.9km) and had extended by 1 mile (1.5km) in about 40 minutes.

Recent studies showed magma accumulating underground, prompting warnings of new volcanic activity in the area south of Iceland's capital, Reykjavik.

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The local police chief for the area has declared a state of emergency.

Meanwhile, Iceland's meteorological office said: "An eruption has begun. Work is under way to find out the location of the recordings."

Read more: Watch: lava flows from Iceland volcano Iceland volcano: Their hazard and their beauty

The nearby town of Grindavik has been largely abandoned since late last year when nearly 4,000 residents were first ordered to evacuate.

The most recent eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula , home to some 30,000 people, ended on June 22 after spewing fountains of molten rock for 24 days.

Since 2021, there have been nine eruptions in that area.

The geological systems had previously been dormant for 800 years.

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Authorities have constructed man-made barriers to redirect lava flows away from critical infrastructure, including the Svartsengi power plant, the Blue Lagoon outdoor spa and the town of Grindavik.

The popular Blue Lagoon geothermal spa has been closed, while the Svartsengi area has also been evacuated.

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Flights are currently unaffected.

Volcanic outbreaks in the Reykjanes peninsula are so-called fissure eruptions, which do not cause large explosions or significant dispersal of ash into the stratosphere.

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Iceland volcano erupts for sixth time since December, spewing fountains of lava

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Thursday, the meteorological office said, spraying red-hot lava and smoke in its sixth outbreak since December .

The total length of the fissure was about 2.42 miles and had extended by nearly a mile in about 40 minutes, the Icelandic Met Office, which is tasked with monitoring volcanoes, said in a statement.

Livestreams from the volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula showed glowing hot lava shooting up from the ground, their bright-yellow and orange colors set in sharp contrast against the dark night sky.

“The impact is limited to a localized area near the eruption site. It does not present a threat to life and the area nearby was evacuated,” Iceland’s ministry for foreign affairs said on social media X.

The lava was not flowing towards the nearby Grindavik fishing town, whose nearly 4,000 residents have been mostly evacuated  since November, the Met office said.

The eruption took place on the Sundhnukar crater row east of mountain Sylingafell, partly overlapping the other recent outbreaks on the Reykjanes peninsula, in a volcanic system which has no central crater but erupts by opening giant cracks in the ground.

Studies had shown magma accumulating underground, prompting warnings of new volcanic activity in the area located just south of Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik.

The most recent eruption  on the Reykjanes peninsula, home to some 30,000 people or nearly 8% of the country’s total population, ended on June 22 after spewing fountains of molten rock for 24 days.

The eruptions show the challenge faced by the island nation of nearly 400,000 people as scientists warn that the Reykjanes peninsula could face repeated outbreaks for decades or even centuries.

Since 2021, there have been nine eruptions on the peninsula, following the reactivation of geological systems that had been dormant for 800 years.

In response, authorities have constructed  man-made barriers  to redirect lava flows away from critical infrastructure, including the Svartsengi power plant, the Blue Lagoon outdoor spa and the town of Grindavik.

Flights were unaffected, Reykjavik’s Keflavik Airport said on its web page, but the nearby Blue Lagoon luxury geothermal spa and hotel said it had shut down and evacuated its guests.

Volcanic outbreaks in the Reykjanes peninsula are so-called fissure eruptions, which do not usually disrupt air traffic as they do not cause large explosions or significant dispersal of ash into the stratosphere.

Iceland, which is roughly the size of the U.S. state of Kentucky, boasts more than 30 active volcanoes, making the north European island a prime destination for  volcano tourism  — a niche segment that attracts thrill seekers.

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Volcano Erupts Near Fishing Town in Iceland

The latest eruption, the sixth since December, is part of increased volcanic activity that began in 2021.

By Sarah Hurtes and Claire Moses

A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Thursday, spewing ashes and lava, the sixth such eruption since December, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

The flare-up of the volcano, part of the Svartsengi volcanic system on the Reykjanes Peninsula, marks a continuation of intense geological activity in a region where eight volcanic blasts have been recorded since 2021, several of which occurred this year . Before 2021, the volcanoes on the Reykjanes Peninsula had been dormant for about 800 years.

The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa and a popular tourist destination near the site of the eruption, announced that it had evacuated its guests and that it would be closed on Friday as a “precautionary measure.” Grindavik, a nearby fishing town of nearly 4,000 people, has been largely empty of its residents since January, after volcanic activity started threatening the area.

The eruption occurred in a part of a newly active volcanic zone in Iceland that had been dormant for eight centuries before activity that started last December , with its most recent eruption starting in May.

Scientists said they expected the zone to continue producing magma and generating eruptions every few months for years, possibly decades.

“With every eruption, we see new unforeseen events,” said Matthew J. Roberts, the managing director of the Icelandic Meteorological Office, which tracks volcanic activity in addition to weather patterns.

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August 24, 2024

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Iceland's volcanic eruption slows as lava flows from second fissure

Icelandic authorities said Friday that a second fissure had formed on the southwestern Reykjanes peninsula, but volcanic activity had decreased after lava started spewing forth for the sixth time in the region since December.

After weeks of warnings, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said Thursday that a new eruption had started at 9:26 pm (2126 GMT) that evening, following a series of earthquakes.

Video images showed orange lava bursting out of a long fissure, which the IMO estimated to be 3.9 kilometres (2.4 miles).

Early Friday, the IMO announced on social media that a second fissure had opened up to the north of the original one.

In an later update, the agency said that "the intensity of the eruption has decreased significantly since yesterday."

It added that the "most active fissure is the one which opened during the night."

This is the sixth eruption to hit the area since December, coming just two months after the end of a previous eruption that lasted more than three weeks.

The latest eruption occurred north of previous eruptions and since no lava flowed south it posed less of a risk to the nearby fishing village of Grindavik, which was evacuated Thursday evening.

The chief of police of the Sudurnes region, Ulfar Ludviksson, told Icelandic media that the 22 or 23 houses in the village were currently occupied.

Most of Grindavik's 4,000 residents had evacuated in November, prior to a December eruption, and while residents have since been allowed to return in between eruptions, only a few have opted to stay overnight.

The IMO also noted that there would be "northerly and northwesterly winds at the eruption site" until Saturday, which therefore would spread gas pollution from the site south and southeast -- carrying it out to sea.

The Reykjanes peninsula had not experienced an eruption for eight centuries until March 2021.

Further eruptions occurred in August 2022 and in July and December 2023, leading volcanologists to warn that a new era of seismic activity had begun in the region.

Iceland is home to 33 active volcano systems, the highest number in Europe.

It straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a crack in the ocean floor separating the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

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Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes Peninsula

Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Iceland's meteorological office on Friday said that the vigor of an eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula had slowed after it erupted for the sixth time since December on Thursday.

The Icelandic Met Office said the activity was now "mostly confined" to the fissure that initially erupted and a second that opened north of the first one. Advertisement

"Seismicity decreased rapidly after 4 a.m. However, ground extension continues north of Stora-Skogfell, which suggests that the eruption has not reached equilibrium," the office added.

The new eruption east of Mount Sylingarfell is near the area of an eruption that happened in May. The Norwegian Meteorological Office and Iceland's Civil Defense officials said they have teams investigating the latest incident.

The Met Office said Friday's seismicity from the volcano has been "fairly stable" at the northern end of the eruptive fissure. The Iceland Coast Guard plans to conduct a flight over the area on Friday night.

Iceland's Foreign Ministry said the volcanic activity so far has been limited to a localized area near the eruption site and does not present a threat to life and there have been no international or domestic flight disruptions. Advertisement

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