Volcano erupts in Iceland

[Dan Henderson]

For those of us lucky enough to have traveled to Iceland, a small volcanic eruption occurred on the southwest coast overnight, near the ring road between Reykjavik and Vik. One small town was evacuated as a precaution, no casualties and as far as I know no property damage.

 

[bill schwab]

From what I've read, Dan... everything between Hvolsvollur and Vik has been evacuated. They're worried it might trigger Katla which lies under Myrdalsjökull, that huge glacier we drove around the base of on the way to Vik. The one that feeds Skogafoss. If that one goes and melts a chunk of that glacier, think of the floods!

 

[bill schwab]

I checked... No flights in or out. Bummer... I've so wanted to see one of these!!

 

[Dan Henderson]

little Iceland sure has the rest of Europe in its grip. I'm proud of the little fella!

 

[Mats_A]

little Iceland sure has the rest of Europe in its grip. I'm proud of the little fella!

These will be interesting times. Last this volcano erupted in 1820 it lasted over two years. Lot of airlines will go bankrupt if this goes on. Or they will have to convert back to old propeller planes with piston engines.
Buy shares in shipping and and rail companies.

r

Mats

 

[Niall Bell]

Well as we say over here, 'We said to Iceland to send Cash'.

Perhaps this might be lost on non-Uk folks though.
Niall

 

[Edward_S]

Well as we say over here, 'We said to Iceland to send Cash'.

Perhaps this might be lost on non-Uk folks though.
Niall

It's strangely quiet so close to Heathrow airport though. Still, it makes a change from having kerosene drizzled in my salad.

 

[Shaggysk8]

They are sending us Cash but in icelandic there is no C in there alphabet, so they are sending us ash

 

[paul_c5x4]

Or should it be called Yet Another Icelandic Meltdown ?

 

[Andrew Moxom]

Wow, this thing is not slowing down at all. While I know these things happen, it's jeopardizing the Cornwall trip for sure if air travel is nixed for many more days!!! We hope to fly out April 23rd.

 

[Shaggysk8]

Or should it be called Yet Another Icelandic Meltdown ?

HAHAHAHAHAHA.....I am gonna use that tonight when I get home, my partner keeps telling me they would get us back one day

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Yes, I am awfully nervous about it also.

Here is the development of the smoke plume:

Click this link

Wow, this thing is not slowing down at all. While I know these things happen, it's jeopardizing the Cornwall trip for sure if air travel is nixed for many more days!!! We hope to fly out April 23rd.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Looks like Iceland is having some bad luck as of late.

Jeff

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Indeed, Jeff. It's really unfortunate on top of their financial crisis.

Good thing is that the Icelanders are some of the most resilient and strong people, and have been through this before. They will bounce back, and they will be fine.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yahooeditorspicks/galleries/72157623855495574/page1/

 

[Shaggysk8]

You would think they were having a tough time but trust me they are loving it, plus all the tourism that has come in has givern them a bit of money

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Advice for travelers:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/a...-latest-travel-advice-questions-answered.html

 

[Q.G.]

Well as we say over here, 'We said to Iceland to send Cash'.

Perhaps this might be lost on non-Uk folks though.
Niall

Not quite. We want some too.

 

[colinRTM]

http://eldgos.mila.is/eyjafjallajokull-fra-valahnjuk/

Live webcam of the volcano.

 

[Shaggysk8]

Dead Link Removed

 

[benjiboy]

The things that worry me the the most about this eruption that I've seen on TV recently besides the environmental effects is that the last time it happened to this volcano about two hundred years ago it erupted for two years!, the effect it will have on the already fragile European economy as a whole, not just Iceland's, probably sending it back into recession, and the devastating effect it will have on the already struggling European airlines it's costing millions a day.

 

[Chazzy]

Dead Link Removed

That's some amazing footage.

 

[Q.G.]

The things that worry me the the most about this eruption that I've seen on TV recently besides the environmental effects is that the last time it happened to this volcano about two hundred years ago it erupted for two years!, the effect it will have on the already fragile European economy as a whole, not just Iceland's, probably sending it back into recession, and the devastating effect it will have on the already struggling European airlines it's costing millions a day.

Last point first: they may be losing millions a day. But they are earning those same millions a day for 365 days per year.
It's no worse for airlines and airports to 'have a few days off' than for anyone else. So absolutely nothing to worry about there.

Like you, i'm in one of those countries the ash is supposed to be over. Besides airports being closed, air traffic halted, we haven't noticed anything of it yet. Not the promised extra colourful sunrises and sunsets. No haze to spoil the blue skies we have been enjoying this week.

That's not implying that there is no ash drifting somewhere. But the reports are grossely exagerated. Why, even gliders are grounded! (And you know how high they go, and how many engines they have that could fail.)
There's a habit of blowing everything that could be bad up out of every proportion lately (Remember the swine flu anyone?). This is one of those thingies.

It will not take long for this madness to blow over (pun intended) and for air traffic to start up again.

And we will still be wanting our money back from Iceland.

 

[bobwysiwyg]

That's some amazing footage.

I agree, but some of those folks walking around seem awfully close to the eruption.

 

[benjiboy]

Last point first: they may be losing millions a day. But they are earning those same millions a day for 365 days per year.
It's no worse for airlines and airports to 'have a few days off' than for anyone else. So absolutely nothing to worry about there.

Like you, i'm in one of those countries the ash is supposed to be over. Besides airports being closed, air traffic halted, we haven't noticed anything of it yet. Not the promised extra colourful sunrises and sunsets. No haze to spoil the blue skies we have been enjoying this week.

That's not implying that there is no ash drifting somewhere. But the reports are grossely exagerated. Why, even gliders are grounded! (And you know how high they go, and how many engines they have that could fail.)
There's a habit of blowing everything that could be bad up out of every proportion lately (Remember the swine flu anyone?). This is one of those thingies.

It will not take long for this madness to blow over (pun intended) and for air traffic to start up again.

And we will still be wanting our money back from Iceland.

Several airlines like Air Italia were close to going bankrupt before this disaster struck and so was British Airways .http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/2010/04/the_costs_of_closed_uk.html you don't know what your talking about.