Tag #Vatnajökull

What is the immediate threat posed by the seismic activity near Bárdarbunga volcano in Iceland?

A series of powerful earthquakes near Iceland's Bárdarbunga volcano under the Vatnajökull glacier, Europe's largest glacier outside the polar regions, indicates a potential eruption. Magma accumulation 10 kilometers below the surface is causing increased pressure, according to Kristín Jónsdóttir of the Icelandic Meteorological Office. While the timing is uncertain, an eruption under the glacier could trigger catastrophic flooding.