Posts Tagged ‘Eyjafjallajökull eruption’
How much of Iceland is affected by the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption?
Short answer: Though this is serious by default, the direct implications for Iceland as a whole have been exaggerated by the international media in some cases.
The Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted recently and has had considerable impact on daily life in Europe. The cloud emitted from the volcano reached Europe and caused an unprecedented ban in air traffic.
Latest news indicates that the eruption may be subsiding and the ash cloud has lessened considerably.
Impact on people living close to Eyjafjallajökull
People living close to the volcano had to evacuate their homes because of the threat of floods (the volcano is underneath a glacier). As the days went by, their farms were covered in large amounts of ash.
Many farms will need time to regain their full productivity and Icelanders are very sympathetic toward those having difficulties.
Is Iceland affected as a whole by the eruption?
Iceland is a large island (103.000 square kilometers) and the eruption is in the southernmost tip of the country. Winds have blown the ash directly out to sea as seen on the picture below. There has been no sign of the ash in the capital area or in any other areas outside the one closest to the volcano.
Is SagaMedica affected by the eruption?
SagaMedica has enough raw material to last for a long time, so there will be no shortage and our production is not affected by the eruption at all. Also, we harvest material in many places in Iceland, far away from the volcano. In that sense, our production capacity is not affected.
We’re not downplaying the eruption; it’s as serious as others like it. But please be aware that Iceland is a perfectly safe place to visit. The media attention has been rather one-sided and probably skewed because of the disproportionate effect the eruption has had on air traffic in Europe.
Photo from NASA - The ash cloud at its largest
