Volcano Eruption In Iceland

As long time readers of this blog know, there is a special place in my heart for Iceland.  I lived there for nearly 7 years and my photography is shaped by the time I spent there.

It is with that thought that I mention that the Land of Fire & Ice is having the two mix this morning with potentially disastrous consequences.  The BBC and Iceland Review are reporting that Bárðarbunga, a volcano under Vatnajökull (technically under Dyngjujökull, but…) is in the middle of a small sub-glacial eruption.

Eruptions like this traditionally create two problems.  The first is a Jökulhlaup, or glacial flood.  I talked about such a danger for the town of Vík í Mýrdal from the volcano that sits beneath Mýrdalsjökull.  And the second is the potential for the release of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, which has the potential to cause air traffic over mainland Europe to grind to a halt like it did 4 years ago.

This is a bad time for more volcano issues in Iceland.  It is the height of the tourist season.  Any potential glacial flood will go north, meaning the highlands will become a no man’s land and the tourist spots in the north (Goðafoss, Dettifoss, and the like) will clear out.

I recommend Iceland Review’s news feed as the best and most understandable source of information in terms of “on the ground” reporting.