Volcano tourism is booming in Iceland. After the eruption in Fagradalsfjäll, curious visitors are flocking to the area.

“You can really feel the power of Mother Earth,” Benjamin Hayes, director of education at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in the United States, told National Geographic.

The volcanic eruption in Fagradalsfjäll in Iceland has become a tourist magnet. The area is located only about forty kilometers southwest of the capital Reykjavik and is relatively easily accessible.

Since the eruption on March 19, tens of thousands of curious people have made their way to the area, and now there are plans to expand roads and hiking trails near the volcano, reports Swedish Radio.

Relatively safe outbreak

The eruption in Fagradalsfjäll is relatively safe to witness even at relatively close range. However, volcano tourism can otherwise be life-threatening if you don't have full control over what you're doing.

"If you have basic knowledge, you can watch eruptions quite safely. We are lucky, because the most beautiful eruptions, such as those in Hawaii, Iceland and Italy's Stromboli, are not among the most explosive," says American geologist Rosaly MC Lopes to National Geographic.

However, she warns against relaxing and not following the advice. When Etna in Sicily erupted in 1987, two bystanders died. And in 2019, over 20 people lost their lives and many were severely burned when the White Island volcano, Whakaari, in New Zealand erupted.

”Perfect tourist attraction”

These risks are not believed to exist in Iceland, where new trails are to be built. Fagradalsfjäll is believed to continue spewing lava for a long time, probably longer than the ongoing corona lockdowns. The last eruption in the area, 800 years ago, lasted for 30 years.

– It's a perfect tourist attraction, as long as you don't get too close, says volcanologist Thorvaldur Thórdarson at Retill Sky, comparing it to Pu'u 'O'o in Hawaii, whose eruption in 1983 lasted for 35 years.

– It could end tomorrow, or it could last a couple of decades.

This type of volcano tourism is not unique to Iceland; on the contrary, a long list of places with volcanic activity have seen an influx of tourists following eruptions or just suspicions of eruptions.

Source: svt.se