So, what do we know about this potential eruption, what are its risks, how could it affect travel and why is Iceland, an island of just 103,000 square kilometers (40,000 square miles), home to so much seismic activity? “If it erupts undersea, it could cause a Surtseyan eruption similar to the one that happened in 1963, also in Iceland, and created the island of Surtsey. Iceland is accustomed to volcanic eruptions, though they often occur in the wilderness, away from populated areas. The Bárðarbunga volcanic system situated in the center of the country erupted in 2014, producing lava that covered 84 square kilometers (32 square miles) of highland that didn’t damage any communities. It also didn’t threaten populated areas and even become a tourist attraction as people flocked to witness a volcanic eruption.

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Persons: Ragnar Visage, ” Michele Paulatto, Bill McGuire, “, ”, Dave McGarvie, –, ” Paulatto, “ Eyjafjallajökull, Lionel Wilson, Micah Garen Organizations: CNN, Iceland, Iceland’s Met, Civil Protection Agency, Imperial College London, Geophysical, University College London, University of Lancaster, Authorities, Planetary Sciences, Lancaster University, Police, North Locations: Grindavík, Iceland, Vestmannaeyjar, Surtsey, ”, Iceland’s, Reykjavík, Reykjavik, Keflavík, North America, Eurasia