E16 Eruption (2010)

Question 1

Why do people live there?

Answer 1

=> Good farmland, cattle grazing.
=> Excellent mitigation strategies, high levels of wealth, effective monitoring —-> Reduced perception of risk.

Question 2

Volcanic Location?

Answer 2

Lies over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and on a mantle plume.

Question 3

Indicators?

Answer 3

=> HDI: 0.949#
=> GNI: $54,682

Question 4

Details of volcano and eurption?

Answer 4

=> Composite Volcano. BUT shield shaped —-> Has fluid, basic lava and low viscosity.
=> 230 million m3 of rock erupted as ash.

Question 5

Short-Term Impacts on people?

Answer 5

=> 500 farmers and families evacuated.
=> Roads surrounding the volcano shut down.
=> 8 DAY TRAVEL BAN IN EUROPE: LEDCs were badly affected —> 20% of Kenya’s economy is based on green vegetables and flowers to Europe. Over 50,000 farmers became temporarily unemployed.

Question 6

Long-Term Impacts on people?

Answer 6

=> No injuries or deaths.
=> Put ‘Iceland on the map.’ —–> Tourism became the biggest industry with more than 5 times the population visiting each year.

Question 7

Environmental Impacts on the country/ region?

Answer 7

=> The eruption put 30,000 tonnes per day of CO2 into the air. BUT will not make a substantial addition to emissions.
=> Ash contaminated the local water supplies. —> Farmers warned to not let livestock drink from it.
=> Plume of ash spread across Europe.

Question 8

Economic impacts on the country?

Answer 8

=> Positive impact on tourism (see card on long-term impacts).
=> The ash posed an issue to aeroplanes as it can impact their systems if it enters the engines.

Question 9

Mitigation against the event?

Answer 9

=> Embankments helped to hold floodwater from melted snow and ice containing potential flooding.
=> Thus, helping to maintain transport links to the affected area.

Question 10

Mitigation against vulnerability?

Answer 10

=> Icelandic Meteorological office monitors earth movements, water conditions, the weather and issues warnings. –> Worked with the British Meteorological Office to help track Ash Cloud.
=> Countries in Europe have bodies to help determine the safety of conditions to fly in.

Question 11

Mitigation against losses?

Answer 11

=> EU has large combined total of $45,713, collective financial capacity to cope with emergencies.
=> Also has other transport mechanisms including Channel tunnel and extensive road and motorway networks to continue transporting goods.
=> Companies had contingency plans to help cope —-> Tesco flew Kenyan produce into Spain and then used road haulage.