Thanks blam and KoRn.
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Posted on 10/14/2011 2:45:42 PM PDT by blam
Iceland’s Katla Volcano Eruption Imminent: Could Surpass Last Year’s Eruption
October 14, 2011 2:16 PM EST
Iceland's Katla Volcano, which has a magma chamber that is ten times the size of Eyjafjallajokull, is showing signs of an imminent eruption.
Experts are saying that should Katla erupt, the consequences could be disastrous for Europe as it could spew an ash cloud that will turn day into night. In comparison to last year's Eyjafjallajokull's eruption which grounded planes last year and cost the aviation industry nearly $2 billion dollars, Katla's could wreak havoc across Europe.
The last time Katla erupted in 1918 it spewed ash for more than a month, killed off livestock and flooded surrounding farmlands from the melted ice-sheet that covered the volcano.
Now, scientists have detected small earthquakes around Katla and seismologists are warning the population to brace for the eruption. The earthquakes have been steadily growing in strength, just last week a magnitude 4 earthquake was detected. Katla usually has a large eruption twice in a century. It is long overdue for another one, seismologists say.
"It is definitely showing signs of restlessness," said Pall Einarsson, a professor of geophysics at the University of Iceland.
Government officials already have evacuation procedures in place for communities near Katla but should the volcano erupt, people living in those areas will only have an hour to escape before the volcano erupts.
The aviation industry meanwhile remains optimistic that an eruption wouldn't put airlines out of business.
"It would take a closure greater than last May's to put people out of business," said David Henderson, spokesman for the Brussels-based Association of European Airlines.
"Everything depends on the magnitude of the eruption."
Ordinary Icelanders remain unruffled about any imminent eruption. Volcanoes have done more good than harm in Iceland being the source of cheap geothermal energy that citizens use every day. Until Katla decides to blow, Iceland is going to play a waiting game with nature's fieriest phenomenon.
Strange, I could only see the top of her head but now a little more is loading. not bad art...
Well, it might not be as immemint as all that.
“Magnus Gudmundsson, a geophysicist at the University of Iceland, who has been monitoring Katla, explained to Icelandic media that increased levels of heat under the glacier and more regular earthquakes could be a long-term warning of an eruption; however, there are no immediate signs to be concerned about.”
Just what we need - the Canary Islands to blow and Iceland to explode.
Atlantic Tsunamis R Us.
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That would kill the price of Myrtle Beach real estate, wouldn’t it?
Makes you glad you didn’t grow up in Iceland with the teacher handing you a list of spelling words to learn each week, doesn’t it?
“of course it is.”
Well, none of us can pronounce it.
Just for the one season;)
I cannot see the word “Iceland” without thinking of one of my oldest friends. This guy had a way with girls which was unbelievable absolutely incredible.
More than 40 years ago we worked together at a mountain retreat which employed a large number of college students. During that first Summer he dated Miss New Mexico. One day he told me he was going to wait until he was in his 60’s to get married and then was going to marry a model from Iceland.
Now if anyone else had told me that, I would have dismissed it as nonsense but he really meant it. Over the years I have seen him pick up girls, beautiful girls, effortlessly. We would see a girl in the mall, and he would go over and talk to her. Within a few minutes he would have a date with her. I saw him do the same thing once with a gorgeous blonde who was playing tennis on the court next to us.
He dated a former Miss Universe. He showed me pictures of them and I thought Miss New Mexico was actually prettier.
A couple of years ago he did in fact marry a twenty something year old model but she is Chinese instead of Icelandic so I guess he failed in his ultimate quest.
What will it do to Netflix stock?
She sure is attractive but looks like she might not be real friendly.
Katla could be a jobs killer.
Why isn’t there an “Occupy Katla” movement there?
(And somebody needs to make sure that they stay up there even during the eruption).
Something else for Obama to blame his failure on.
That can be replied to in so many ways, but I can’t pick the right one!
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If it's big enough it could affect the food supply of the whole world. Not having a job could be a minor concern.
LOL. That crossed my mind too...I thought, tsunamis in the dark.
Thanks so much for this story. I have a large collection of anecdotes about Icelanders and this is just the thing that interests me. Who knew it would show on FR, though?
My friend had been in the Navy and I think he was stationed in Iceland for a while. He fell in love with the girls who he described as the most beautiful in the world.
A very large percentage are blondes. Now that I think about it, he had blonde hair himself. I think the reason he ended up with a Chinese Beauty instead was that even he at age 65 was no longer able to just get about any girl he wanted. The fact that he drove a Rolls Royce probably didn’t hurt.
Dr. Bogus Eyjafjallajokull Pachysandra?
You must have had fun signing for your mortgage.
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