For the past few weeks, Alexa.com reports there have been constant searches in regard "increased earthquake activity," "iceland katla," and "yellowstone cover up." In fact, considered as a whole, these are the top search terms that are currently driving approximately four percent ( 4% ) of our overall traffic. Based on the constant searches for these subjects it is obvious that many people, especially Europeans, are extremely interested in the status of Iceland's Katla Volcano and are attempting to find whatever information they can in regard this extremely dangerous volcano. (I've noted that Britain is responsible for approximately 50% of these searches using internal site statistics.)
Unfortunately, as dangerous as this volcano is and its history of erupting within months of the Eyjafjallajà ¶kull Volcano is disturbing. I find it deplorable that the EU's respective governments are not attempting to prepare their citizens for what I believe is an eventuality, not a probability. Speaking in terms of probability, history would seem to indicate that the Katla Volcano could erupt relatively soon, perhaps before the end of 2010. Again, attempting to find reputable information in regard the Katla Volcano isn't easy, however some of it is out there, and to be frank, the future in regard Katla doesn't look promising at all"
From a political and financial standpoint, it's understandable that Great Britain and the European Union are crossing their fingers in regard a Katla eruption rather than sounding an alarm. Their collective economies are suffering and a significant Katla eruption could upset the "recovery" and has the potential to kill tens of thousands of European citizens, most likely the elderly and those with chronic or significant health issues.
First, to help evaluate Katla's possibility/probability/eventuality of an eruption in the near future I'd recommend taking heed of Iceland's predictions of a destructive volcano that no one is more familiar with its behavior than the Icelandic people and their government which stated:
"Geophysicists at Iceland's Institute of Earth Sciences say Katla would be locally and globally damaging.
Icelandic President lafur Grà msson has warned Governments around Europe that a significant eruption at the volcano is "coming close". He said: "We [Iceland] have prepared " it is high time for European governments and airline authorities all over Europe and the world to start planning for the eventual Katla eruption." MORE
Make no mistake, Icelandic government officials are closely monitoring the Katla Volcano and do expect it to erupt in the near future, as do I and most scientists that are intimately familiar with this volcano. Keep in mind that throughout history, Katla has erupted on a timetable of approximately every fifty (50) years; the last time the Katla Volcano erupted was in 1918 so another eruption is long overdue. It is also extremely important to understand that there appears to be a direct relation to Eyjafjallajokull eruptions and the subsequent eruption of the much more dangerous Katla Volcano. In May of this year the BBC published an excellent synopsis of this theory and presented facts that back-up this phenomena:
Could another Icelandic volcano erupt soon?By Victoria Gill
Science reporter, BBC NewsKatla is Eyjafjallajokull's more active neighbour, and scientists believe that there may be a link between the two volcanoes.
This link has not been physically proven, explains Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson a geophysicist from the University of Iceland. A circumstantial, historical connection "is putting people's eyes on Katla," he says.
"We know of four Eyjafjallajokull eruptions in the past [dating back to AD 500] and in three out of these four cases, there has been a Katla eruption either at the same time or shortly after.
"By shortly, I mean timescales of months to a year. (Emphasis added.)
"We consider that the probability of Katla erupting in the near future has increased since Eyjafjallajokull went."
Kathryn Goodenough from the British Geological Survey points out that, as yet, there is no physical explanation for this apparent link.
"Scientists don't yet know what the connection is," she says.
"But we know there are fissures running between the two volcanoes. And they're quite close to each other.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
