Eruption in Iceland – ahem, a bit like last time
I was a bit too quick concluding that the eruption in Grímsvötn this time would be like last time, in 2004, when air traffic wasn’t affected. This morning, the flights out of Iceland were on schedule whereafter the airports were closed. There is a lot of ash, it’s darkness at noon south of Vatnajökull.
The eruption is much stronger than in 2004, more akin to 1873, geologists gather. The fissure that’s opened up seems to be 500-800m long. However, it’s likely that the ash production is at its most forceful right now but that it will only continue, at most, for a few days. There are already now signs of diminished ash. That, of course, doesn’t help the ca seven thousand passengers now stranded but it might mean that the disruption of flights won’t last.
Also, it seems that the ash isn’t travelling, so international flights will probably not be affected this time around. Or that’s what the experts are saying. Remains to be seen what nature will do.
Follow me on Twitter for running updates.
I have been tracking the happenings here –
http://www.jonfr.com/volcano/
I have a flight to KEF coming up in less than 2 weeks.
Rajan P. Parrikar
22 May 11 at 4:22 pm
Thanks! Don’t worry, most likely it will all be over in two weeks time.
Sigrún Davíðsdóttir
22 May 11 at 9:49 pm
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Alexander Szmalc
24 Jul 22 at 7:11 pm