iceland - volcanoes

location

• lies on the mid-atlantic ridge

• constructuve plate boundary

• eyjafjallajokull is located beneath an ice cap in southern iceland

the eruption

• march 2010

• crust beneath ejafjallajokull glacier

• 2 months of eruptions

• march was mostly lava eruptions

• 14th april = new phase - more explosive

• mid april = violent eruptions belched huge quantities of ash into the atmosphere

local impacts and responses

• forced hundreds to evacuate

• rescuers wore facemasks to prevent chocking on ash

• agricultural land became thick with a layer

• huge amounts of meltwater produced

• water flowed out from under the ice

• embankment that supported the main highway in southern iceland was breached by the authorities to allow floodwaters to pass through the sea

• the action successfully prevented expensive bridges being destroyed

• bulldozers were quick to rebuild embankments and within a few weeks the highway was reconstructed

local impacts

• 800 people evacuated

• homes and roads were damaged and services disrupted

• local flood defences had to be constructed

• crops damaged by ash fall

• local water supplies were contaminated with flouride from the ash

international impacts

• Over 8 days  - some 100,000 flights were cancelled

• 10 million air passengers affected

• Losses estimated to be £80 million

• Industrial production halted due to a lack of raw materials

• Fresh food could not be imported

• Sporting events such as the Japanese Motorcycle grand prix, Rugby leagues challenge cup and the Boston Marathon were affected
  

international impacts and responses

• The eruption of Eyjafjallajokull became an international event in mid-April 2010 as the cloud of fine ash spread south-eastwards toward the rest of Europe.

• Concerned about the possible harmful effects of ash on aeroplane jet engines, large sections of European airspace closed down.

• Passenger and freight traffic throughout much of Europe ground to a halt.

• The knock-on effects were extensive and were felt across the world.

• Business people and tourists were stranded unable to travel in to or out of Western Europe.

• Industrial production was affected as raw materials could be flown in and products could not be exported by air.

• As far away as Kenya, farm workers lost their jobs or suffered pay cuts as fresh produce such as flowers and bean perished, unable to be flown to European supermarkets.

• The airline companies and airport operators lost huge amounts of money.
  Some people felt that the closures were an over-reaction and that aeroplanes could fly safely through low concentrations of ash.

• However, a scientific review conducted after the eruption concluded that under the circumstances it had been right to close the airspace.