Iceland volcanoes

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29003031 .

It is now 3 years ago that we visited Iceland. It was a very lovely country and much greener than we expected with lupins in bloom all over the place. Volcanic activity is a constant threat and nearly wiped out the country a few centuries back. Today the threat is just as great, but now the implications for air travel could be substantial right across Europe. A big eruption could also result in severe winters and summers in Europe.

Katla Volcano

The 1918 Katla Eruption

In the last 4 weeks there have been 500 small tremors under and around Katla, a volcano in Iceland. Last summer (just 24 hours after we drove across it!) an earlier flood caused by a small Katla eruption washed away the main bridge across the ring road in the south of Iceland near Vik. Katla erupts every 40-80 years and another is due. The consequences can be dramatic with 20% of the Icelandic population wiped out in an earlier one a few centuries back. It's dust cloud can affect weather on a worldwide scale reducing the temperature across the planet for several years. We could be in for a very cold spell for a few years if Katla decides to erupt big time.