REYKJAVIK, Iceland — The eruption of a volcano in southern Iceland has raised fears of a larger explosion at the nearby Katla volcano.
Scientists say history has proved that when the Eyja fjalla jokull volcano erupts, Katla follows — the only question is how soon. And Katla, located under the massive Myrdalsjokull icecap, threatens disastrous flooding and explosive blasts when it blows.
Saturday’s eruption at Eyja fjalla jokull — dormant for nearly 200 years — forced at least 500 people to evacuate. Most have returned to their homes, but authorities were waiting for scientific assessments to determine whether they were safe to stay. Residents of 14 farms nearest the eruption site were told to stay away.
Several small tremors were felt early Monday, followed by spurts of lava and steam rocketing into the air.
Iceland sits on a large volcanic hot spot in the Atlantic’s mid-oceanic ridge. Eruptions, common throughout Iceland’s history, are often triggered by seismic activity when Earth’s plates move and when magma from deep underground pushes its way to the surface.
As with earthquakes, predicting the timing of volcanic eruptions is an imprecise science. An eruption at the Katla volcano could be disastrous, however — for Iceland and other nations.
Iceland’s Laki volcano erupted in 1783, freeing gases that turned into smog. The smog floated across the jet stream, changing weather patterns. Many in the British Isles died from gas poisoning. Crop production fell in western Europe. Famine spread. Some even linked the eruption, which helped fuel famine, to the French Revolution. Painters in the 18th century illustrated fiery sunsets in their works.
The winter of 1784 was one of the longest and coldest on record in North America. New England reported a record stretch of below-zero temperatures. The Mississippi River reportedly froze in New Orleans.
“These are Hollywood-sort of scenarios but possible,” said Colin Macpherson, a geologist with the University of Durham. “As the melt rises, it’s a little like taking a cork out of a champagne bottle.”
