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Volcanic tourism is flourishing in Iceland. After the eruption at Fagradalsfjäll, curious visitors flock to the surrounding area in the latest example of a long tradition. “You can really feel the power of Mother Earth,” said Benjamin Hayes of Hawaii Volcano National Park.
Spectators at Fagradalsfjäll in Iceland.
The Fagradalsfjäll volcanic eruption in Iceland has become a tourist magnet.
Fagradalsfjäll is only about 40 km southwest of the capital Reykjavik, and the area is easily accessible.
– The volcano is one of the few in the world where you can go without much risk, the location is fantastic, says Jóhannes Thór Skúlason, head of the Icelandic tourism organization on the radio.
The Italian Roberto Pagani, one of the 5,000 visitors just during the first active week of the volcano, does not regret his visit.
This type of volcanic tourism is not unique to Iceland, on the contrary, a large number of places with volcanic activity have seen an influx of tourists after eruptions or only suspected eruptions.
As early as the 8th century, visitors to villages in Japan were observed at the foot of active volcanoes. And in the 18th and 19th centuries, visits to Vesuvius in Italy included the educational trips of the rich across Europe.
The archipelago’s national parks saw a sharp increase in visitors the day after Mount Kilauea erupted in December last year. Despite coronary restrictions, more than 8,000 people came to see the outbreak up close.
The eruption at Fagradalsfjäll is relatively safe to witness even at a relatively close distance. But otherwise volcanic tourism can be life threatening if you don’t have full control over what to do.
– If you have basic knowledge, you can observe the shoots quite safely. We are lucky, because the most beautiful eruptions, such as those in Hawaii, Iceland and the Italian Stromboli, do not belong to the most explosive at the same time, American geologist Rosaly MC Lopes tells National Geographic.
However, he cautions against relaxing and not following the advice. When Etna in Sicily had an outbreak in 1987, two nearby bystanders died. And in 2019, more than 20 people lost their lives and many suffered severe burns when the White Island volcano, Whakaari, in New Zealand, erupted.
– If there is a sudden explosion, as on Etna, you have to look up and see where the rocks land. But you shouldn’t run, just duck. And when the rocks land, you run, Lopes says, stressing that it’s important to run fast.
– On White Island, some stopped to take pictures. I think they got caught and didn’t have time to run fast enough.
Such risks are not believed to exist in Iceland, where new routes will be built. For Fagradalsfjäll, lava is believed to be flushed out for a long time, probably longer than ongoing crown closures. The most recent eruption in the area, 800 years ago, lasted 30 years.
– It’s a perfect tourist attraction, as long as you don’t get too close, says Retill Sky volcanologist Thorvaldur Thórdarson, comparing it to Pu’u ‘O’o in Hawaii, whose 1983 eruption lasted 35 years.
– It may end tomorrow or it will last a couple of decades.
Volcanoes
Volcanoes are created when magma (molten rock) inside the earth penetrates the surface and solidifies.
Most of the volcanoes on earth are located on the edges of the continental plates, where strong friction can occur that can cause both earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The magma that rises to the earth’s surface during a volcanic eruption is called lava. The place where magma penetrates the earth’s surface is called a crater.
Pyroclastic flows are rapidly moving avalanches of hot gases, ash, and rocks.
Source: Nationalencyklopedin, Reuters.
