Iceland has seen a huge boom in tourism since the 2010 eruption - a record 2.To remedy the lack of data for Oraefajokull, scientists are rushing to install new equipment on and around the volcano.If an evacuation is ordered, everyone in the area will receive a text message and the radio will broadcast updates.Located in southeast Iceland about 320 kilometers (200 miles) from the capital, Reykjavik, the volcano lies under the Vatnajokull glacier, the largest glacier in Europe.What worries scientists the most is the devastating potential impact of an eruption at Oraefajokull. "One of the most dangerous things is to have volcanos for which we know that there is potential for big eruptions but with not that much historical data. At the far end of the spectrum of consequences would be a full eruption."Iceland is home to 32 active flow meter Manufacturers volcanic sites, and its history is punctuated with eruptions, some of them catastrophic."Its not one of the best-known volcanos," Barsotti said.
Some historians cite it as a contributing factor to the French Revolution."Oraefajokull is one of the most dangerous volcanos in Iceland. Millions of travelers were stranded by the move. The 1783 eruption of Laki spewed a toxic cloud over Europe, killing tens of thousands of people and sparking famine when crops failed.Associated Press journalists last week visited scientists working near the mouth of the Kvia River, where the stench of sulfur was strong and the water was murky, clear signs that geothermal water was draining from the caldera. Those include ultra-sensitive GPS sensors that can detect even the slightest tremors, webcams for real-time imagery of the volcano and sensors in the rivers that drain the volcanos glaciers to measure the chemical composition of the water. Its a volcano for which we need to be very careful," said Sara Barsotti, Coordinator for Volcanic Hazards at the Icelandic Meteorological Office. that destroyed the city of Pompei.
They know every plan and how to react.D.The Eyjafjallajokull (ay-yah-FYAH-lah-yer-kuhl) volcano erupted in April 2010, prompting aviation authorities to close much of Europes airspace for five days out of fear that its volcanic ash could damage jet engines.". The earthquakes are mostly small but their sheer number is exceptionally high. Police inspector Adolf Arnason now is patrolling the road around the volcano, which will be used for any evacuation, and residents have received evacuation briefings.4 million people are expected to visit this year and about 2,000 tourists travel through Oraefi every day.But what happens next is anyones guess.With such high-risk developments at stake, authorities are taking precautions.Experts at Icelands Meteorological Office have detected 160 earthquakes in the region in the past week alone as they step up their monitoring of the volcano.At the summit of one of Icelands most dangerous volcanoes, a 72-foot (22-meter) depression in the snow is the only visible sign of an alarming development. "Thats our worst nightmare. In the most benign scenario, the phenomenon could simply cease.