A number of folks believe the ongoing eruption at Holuhraun is Bardarbunga volcano. It is not. That´s simply a small rift. PIC peterhartree
You´ve finally put the finishing touches on your travel plan around Iceland next summer after much thought and contemplation. After all, one only visits this place once or twice in a lifetime and thus best to go all in and see everything. It will be the trip of a lifetime. Except there is one thing that could seriously dent your plan and trip in a jiffy.
Its name is Bardarbunga and it seems news anchors the world over use the name to tell you about the ongoing volcanic eruption in Iceland. Just another piece of misinformation but this time misinformation that could cost lives.
You see, the current eruption is taking place quite a bit North of Bardarbunga volcano in a place called Holuhraun. Which incidentally is not a volcano at all but simply a rift in the earth. It is not even a big rift but due to the longevity of the eruption, few months at time of writing, the amounts of lava pouring forth is massive. It is creating a whole new landscape in the highland of Iceland. A landscape that will entice thousands upon thousands if and when it stops. Indeed, some of the towers of new lava visible at Holuhraun nowadays reach 60 meters in height already.
No doubt Holuhraun lava-flow will sooner than later wreak havoc on stunning places if it keeps pouring but it is not dangerous for either locals or travelers unless you stand right by and happen to suffocate from the poisoned gases flowing forth.
But a volcanic eruption in Bardarbunga will most certainly create danger for all. It is a huge volcano. Much larger than that infamous Eyjafjallajokull volcano that stranded millions a few years ago. Its height underneath the Vatnajokull glacier cap has shrunk massively recently which indicates trouble ahead. Even if it does not blow is has already melted unknown quantities of water from the glacier and that water has to go somewhere one day. It could well be a flood of biblical proportions.
A massive flood could theoretically go in every direction but most likely it will head North or South of the volcano. If big enough it will bring destruction to a huge area of the highlands creating even more desolate land in its wake than is already there for the most part. It could damage dams in the country which in turn affects electricity and it will easily take apart any roads or tracks in a wide area including the Ring Road around the country. And that´s just the water.
No need to go into devilish details about what else could possible happen. It will be horrible in any case and most certainly upend your carefully planned vacation time.
Our advice: make a backup plan 😉
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