Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – UPDATE 24 April

Comparative Calm Before Explosive Storm?

A Powerful Earthquake May Strike Iceland

The Plume at Eyjafjallajökull Rises to a Height of about 7,000m Sporadically, Idling Mostly at 4,000m

Fire Earth Moderators believe the volcano is spewing more ash than it did 2-3 days ago, despite the local reports.

Webcam at Valahnúk. Image recorded at 13:15UTC on April 24, 2010. Click Image to enlarge.

Hvolsvelli View [best image available all day from the webcam. Reduced visibility caused  by volcanic ash, fumes, dust and clouds.]

Icelandic mat office said:

Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland -Update on activity
Little changes – 24 April 2010 11:15

Volcanic tremor has been similar as the last 2-3 days.
Ash fall may be expected to the west and northwest from the eruption, minor in the Reykjavik area.
Water level in Markarfljót river is slightly higher than yesterday.

The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, Media team, released the following bulletin earlier today:

News Release, 24 April 2010, 06:30

According to the Hvolsvöllur police, this was a quiet night. A little ash has fallen on Hvolsvöllur, and it is visible as a very fine dust on cars. The Weather Bureau expects strong winds from the northeast and the east along the southern coast, elsehwhere the winds will be softer and there will not be much precipitation. The ashen mist will probably move to the west and the northwest of the volcano, even reaching Reykjavík, but only in slight quantities

In a news release from the Chief Epidemiologist yesterday, it appears that wen ash mist occurs, or an increase in suspended particulates in the atmosphere, those who suffer from a dormant heart og lung disease are advised to remain indoors, but there is no call for using masks. It is expected that the eruption-related suspended particulates pollution in the capital area might be close to a similar pollution caused by traffic, and the warnings issued by health authorities will be in accordance with such pollution. The public should keep track of news and information and instruction on the websites of the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, http://www.almannavarnir.is, and of the Environment Agency, http://www.ust.is .

According to information from the airports, air traffic is limited to and from Keflavík, Reykjavík and Akureyri at the moment. No IFR-permissions are issued for Akureyri Airport, but the Egilsstaðir Airport is open to all flight traffic. Further information will be released later this morning.

The information centre for the media at Hvolsvöllur (tel. 847-4846) will remain open during he week-end. A press representative will be there, but there will be no meeting with specialists at 8 am. On the other hand, such meetings will be held at the information centre in Skógarhlíð from 08:00 til 09:00 am, Saturday and Sunday. Today, geophysicist Sigurlaug Hjaltadóttir, from Iceland Weather Bureau, Árni Snorrason, director of the Weather Bureau, and Árni Birgisson, director of the airport and guiding dept. of  Isavia, will answer questions conveyed by the media and press agents.

Detailed Map of eruption Site [The Institute of Earth Science Nordic Volcanological Center]

Click on image to get larger map (pdf-file)
Prepared by: Ásta Rut Hjartardóttir (astahj@hi.is), Páll Einarsson (palli@hi.is)

See also

• MISR images.
• Eyjafjallajokull Volcano: ASTER data
  

Related Links:

• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – UPDATE 23 April
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – UPDATE 22 April
• The Next Icelandic Volcano Likely to Erupt
• Iceland’s Bárdarbunga May Be Erupting
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – UPDATE 21 April
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Links Page

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