Lava flowing over age-old footprints
Volcanic eruption in South-East Iceland continues without endangering people or infrastructure. Nordic Visitor offers customized tours for those interested in observing the scene of this spectacular display of nature´s force.
Every now and then Iceland´s volcanoes see to it, that the country´s reputation as the ,,Land of Fire & Ice“ remains closer to being a matter of fact than a mere cliché. Last Saturday around midnight, the skies of South-East Iceland were lit up by a blood-red shimmer from the lava spurting out of a rift that had suddenly opened up in the ice capped ground next to the Eyjafjallajökull glacier.
Geologists had anticipated the eruption because of growing seismic activity in the form of numerous tremors in the area. No casualties were reported but some 600 people in the vicinity were evacuated due to fears of flash-floods from underneath the melting ice. Most of the evacuated inhabitants have now returned to their homes and farmers have been taking care of their livestock.
The power of the eruption has been steadily growing, according to Steinunn Jakobsdóttir, a geophysicist of the state meteorological office. The lava explosions are said to reach up to 150 meters into the air and the volcanic ash is said to stretch as far as 4-8 kilometers into the sky, restricting air traffic in the area. It seems that the popular hiking path Fimmvörðuháls will undergo dramatic changes. The lava is flowing over age-old footprints of hiking boots, from the many travellers who have crossed the path between the two glaciers, and a new mount is coming into existence.
Geologists have speculated whether this eruption might prognosticate an eruption of the nearby volcano Katla, which would probably be even more powerful. In any case, the eruption next to Eyjafjallajökull is predicted to continue for a longer period of time.
The volcanic eruption is an amazing spectacle that can be observed from a safe distance. At the moment the best conditions for catching a glimpse of the phenomenon are in the area of Fljótshlið. Reacting to this unravelling of nature, Nordic Visitor offers customized trips to the area around Eyjafjallajökull for those interested in seeing the fire and ice with their own eyes.
In the meantime, you can see what is going on in the area via webcam.
