As seen on my iPhone Guardian app....A volcanic peak near to a glacier has become active in Southern Iceland...
The Eyjafjallajokull glacier, the fifth largest in Iceland is the location....
Thanks to Val Vannet for passing on this account by Ian Hardie, who works for Rayburn Tours, and has a house in southern Iceland in the affected area, and who I hope to meet up with again at the GA Conference in a couple of weeks time...
Blimey, this is for real. I was walking on the lower flanks of the volcano yesterday afternoon, hours before it started. I had gone to bed at about 23.00 or so; I had taken a walk on my deck to view the stars and moon just before and there was, a hint of something, unknown at the time. I was then deep asleep and I awoke just after midnight; I thought this odd as I usually sleep like a log! It was windy so I put it down to that. Then my phone went off; very strange indeed - it also seemed to "play its tune" at twice the normal speed. "Ian, have you heard; evacuate now, the volcano has blown; be very quick". It then became rather unreal; what do you pack in such a situation, am I ever to be back; just how quickly should I leave ? I dashed around the house, gathered wallet, phones, chargers, laptops and the like and my passport and various important bits of documentation. I remembered to dress too; what to wear, what to take; just what was the end game of this to be....
As I looked east, there it was, a rich red/orange glow, emanating from the mountains and above it hovered a red cloud reflecting this. It was way up the valley, in the area of Thorsmork. The valley was alive with lights; people were evacuating very quickly. Would it be an ash fall? Lava bombs? A lava flow?
I had more calls …….come on, are you OK, get out. I then drove to Hvolsvollur, to the school to register. All was bright, warm and calm there; everyone was anxious but all was quiet.
Seemingly everyone is now accounted for and evacuated (400 - 500 persons); it is very strange to think of this. A road block was set up to stop sightseers coming in to the valley. However, as I drove to Selfoss to get a bed in a friend’s house, the number of cars driving east, towards the volcano was incredible; I have hardly
seen as many cars on a July afternoon. Most cars seemed to be saloon cars so I am guessing that many youths, out on a Saturday night, heard about the eruption and set out to see it. Fortunately, as I drove in to Selfoss, another police road block was being established to stop this.
I am now homeless, a refugee; this is very odd. My wee hus! Now it is big news of course; everyone is waiting to see what the authorities say. The Press conference at 11.00 gave no real update, only that the situation is being watched and nature is in control. Farmers are being allowed in just to feed animals and then come back out again; this is a real live volcanic emergency and, actually, it's not fun at all, it is quite something to think that here is an other episode of
Iceland´s formation going on as I type. But when people, property, livestock, livelihoods are at risk, I am afraid that the whole event is somewhat surreal; just what is going to happen. Mind you, if all this dies down, guess where I´ll be hiking this summer - you bet!
As I looked east, there it was, a rich red/orange glow, emanating from the mountains and above it hovered a red cloud reflecting this. It was way up the valley, in the area of Thorsmork. The valley was alive with lights; people were evacuating very quickly. Would it be an ash fall? Lava bombs? A lava flow?
I had more calls …….come on, are you OK, get out. I then drove to Hvolsvollur, to the school to register. All was bright, warm and calm there; everyone was anxious but all was quiet.
Seemingly everyone is now accounted for and evacuated (400 - 500 persons); it is very strange to think of this. A road block was set up to stop sightseers coming in to the valley. However, as I drove to Selfoss to get a bed in a friend’s house, the number of cars driving east, towards the volcano was incredible; I have hardly
seen as many cars on a July afternoon. Most cars seemed to be saloon cars so I am guessing that many youths, out on a Saturday night, heard about the eruption and set out to see it. Fortunately, as I drove in to Selfoss, another police road block was being established to stop this.
I am now homeless, a refugee; this is very odd. My wee hus! Now it is big news of course; everyone is waiting to see what the authorities say. The Press conference at 11.00 gave no real update, only that the situation is being watched and nature is in control. Farmers are being allowed in just to feed animals and then come back out again; this is a real live volcanic emergency and, actually, it's not fun at all, it is quite something to think that here is an other episode of
Iceland´s formation going on as I type. But when people, property, livestock, livelihoods are at risk, I am afraid that the whole event is somewhat surreal; just what is going to happen. Mind you, if all this dies down, guess where I´ll be hiking this summer - you bet!
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