Small lava eruption in Iceland now; Fagradalsfjall area.
Several open lava vents now along the faultline in Iceland. Lava on snow is such an elemental sight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7lZxclJyqM
Cue Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song.
It really feels like this is the year of all the eruptions, though maybe it’s just because it’s the more famous (to a Western audience) ones that are going off. This seems to suggest we’re tracking behind trend for new eruptions but maybe ahead for total eruptions, but I can’ t say I know how to interpret it. Also not a particularly explosive year so far (though the summary data doesn’t seem to include Soufriere).
Living in the shadow of 2 volcanos, I’m certainly watching with interest!
The odds of some form of eruption in St Helens, specifically, are actually fairly decent. It’s past history suggests that some minor eruptive periods every few decades is pretty normal. It’s been quiet for 14 years now. The odds of some form of eruption in the next 50 years reach into the 90% range.
In Iceland there have been several attempts to dike up the magma flowing south from the high-flowing eruption, and it has overtopped them all so far. If it isn’t stopped now, it will flow downhill all the way south to the Atlantic, which will destroy a main road and a number of major communication and utility connections.
Lava now just <2.5km from the road
That is amazing footage. I’ve only seen lava in games and movies, but to see it for real even in a video is awe-inspiring.
That is horrendous. I mean, we hear about historical cases like Pompei, but, man, this is like right now. Utterly devastating.
Reading some news reports, it seems the bulk of the flow missed the city, thank God, but it’s not clear how many homes were destroyed, or whether people were able to flee in time.
From what French I could understand, I was mostly hearing about destroyed homes, and lack of government response. It is definitely possible for people to die, but given the speed and what I could make out, it didn’t seem like that was the major problem?
I’ll definitely be watching though.
At least 15 dead, they’re now saying, though most were indirect. Tens of thousands at least temporarily displaced and more than 100 children separated from parents.
The volcanic lava flow in Iceland continues at a regular pace, with just 1 vent active and lava erupting periodically every 5 minutes or so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtIhFHTyXvg
The primary viewing hill for those recording the erupting vent (green) has been closed, as the hill was a few days ago surrounded by flowing lava. Watchers continue to focus on the the flow south down the valley which could overflow the road and reach the sea within a couple of weeks (yellow).
A useful user-made gmap of the area is charting the extent of the lava flow. There has been a lot of flow into a northeast valley, and the southwest valley flow has merged with the south flow towards the road, again cutting off the developed trail and viewing hill.
https://afar.tv/iceland/googlemap.php
multiple livecams