EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL VOLCANO ERUPTION NEWS & FACTS
SEE THE ERUPTION ON TWO DIFFERENT WEB CAMERAS
LATEST NEWS - 23 + 24 May 2010 - The volcano is dormant
The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported at 11:00 GMT that there was "no ash plume" and that "hopefully the eruption is over". According to pilot observations, the plume was estimated at 3 km (9,800 ft) heading in a southerly direction. The plume was completely white in colour indicating that it was composed entirely of water vapour. There were no reports of ash fall, neither did ATDNet report any lightning strikes. Measurements made from an aircraft mounted thermal camera indicated that at the crater, the highest observable temperature was almost 100 °C (212 °F); however, the crater could not be observed directly due to the quantity of steam rising from it. No signs of magma extrusion were visible. Seismographic data indicated that the volcanic tremors decreased to almost the level that existed before the eruption. Further to this, GPS sensors indicated a continued horizontal displacement toward the centre of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. This was interpreted as showing that the magma chamber was not being replenished. The overall assessment was that in spite of the high quantity of steam, the eruption appeared to be dormant.
By the morning of 24 May 2010, the view from the webcam installed on Þórólfsfell showed that the eruption plume was completely absent, indicating that the volcano had become dormant again.
21.5.2010 - Volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajökull
Last updated 21.05.2010 09:50 GMT
The force of the eruption seems to be diminishing, according to scientists, with explosive activity and ash production that is only a fraction of what it was during the height of the eruption. All airports in Iceland are open and are expected to stay so for the foreseeable future. Even though ash might still affect air travel, there are four international airports in Iceland, and if one were to close down, air traffic would be directed to the others. As before, people and travellers are quite safe, as the eruption is localized to a small area! But flight schedule is also subject to weather conditions and can therefore change swiftly. Passengers are asked to follow closely the websites listed below for latest information.
Travelling to Iceland is perfectly safe
The eruption has no discernable effect on life in Iceland – apart from the small area surrounding the Eyjafjallajökull glacier. Travelling to Iceland is perfectly safe and the land of ice and fire welcomes you to enjoy adventures beyond imagination.
It is safe to travel in Iceland. The volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajokull glacier is localized to a small part of the country – directly affecting only around 2 dozens of farmsteads or so. Day-to-day life continues in Iceland apart from the directly affected areas of the volcanic eruption in south Iceland, businesses are open as usual and society at large functions normally. Although the volcano poses no safety threat to people in Iceland, visitors are nevertheless encouraged to follow developments and seek factual information from the relevant authorities. Icelanders are resilient people who have learned to live in harmony with the forces of nature. The civil protection and emergency management authorities in Iceland are prepared, alert, and effective and have the situation at the eruption site well under control.
Geo-tourism blooms
The spring is busy changing Iceland into its seasonal costume of bright green and the migrant birds have returned to the North, signalling the advent of summer. Icelanders expect a great increase in geo-tourism this year, and the spanish newspaper El País, recommends Iceland as one of the best places to witness the forces of nature at work.
Cleanest country in the world
In spite of the eruption, Iceland ranks as the
cleanest country in the world according to Forbes magazine, and we look at the eruption as an ideal opportunity to further promote Iceland and encourage visitors to explore the unique nature we have to offer.
Icelanders are used to the geothermal wonders of the island and have learned how to make the best of it - as a result we are among the
world leaders in green energy and sustainable development. Iceland is the only western country that produces all its electricity from emission-free and sustainable natural resources in the form of geothermal and hydro power.
The latest eruption has also proven to be an
inspiration to designers
Briefings at the Reykjavík press centre
The Civil Emergency Authorities arranges information meetings in the Media Center, Skógarhlíð 14 in Reykjavík that will be on a weekly schedule, Thursdays from 8-9. The briefing will include a general status update, as well as brief updates from a geophysicist and a meteorologist. You will find the latest press releases on their web-sites...
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All Infrastructures Secure
Icelandic infrastructure is prepared for earthquakes and volcanic activitiy so all systems are designed to withstand natural calamities. Scientists have been measuring and monitoring water quality in the vicinity of the volcano as well as air quality in general; both have proven to be well within health and safety limits.
Transmission of Electricity
Transmission of Electricity has not been affected by the volcanic activity. Developments in the volcanic activity are being followed closely, with a maintenance team ready to respond to any events if needed. The electrical transmission network in Iceland is circular with all power plants directly connected to the main grind. Thus in case of a transmission failure a backup power is always available from the other side to the rest of the island.
Communication
The main telecommunications network is extremely robust and based on two main systems. It is designed with redundancy for both equipment and power and also incorporates backup routes for critical traffic.
Míla‘s Optical Fiber Cable, that carries almost all national and international telecommunication traffic, is secure. The design for the backhaul connections for the submarine cables connecting Iceland to the mainland takes into consideration necessary backup routes in case of Fiber Cable damage.
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