The name Laki has more than one meaning:-
The Laki craters (Icelandic Lakagigar) are situated in the south of Iceland not far from the canyon of Eldgjá and the small town Kirkjubćjarklaustur; the highest peak reaching up to 816 m. The mountain range of small craters is covering an area of 25 km length.
The big eruption
This volcanic system, belonging to Katla central volcano, was at the origin of the biggest volcanic eruption on earth in historical times, in the form of a basaltic flood. Between the glaciers of Mýrdalsjökull and Vatnajökull, there is an area of fissures which lies in a south-west to north-east direction. This area—Eldgjá belongs to it, too—produced the biggest amount of lava ever produced from one single area in the world during historical times. Between the 8th of June 1783 and February 1784, a fissure, with 130 craters, opened at Laki. The eruption produced some 14 km³ of lava, and the total volume of tephra emitted was 12.3 km3. Lava fountains, like those of Hawai‘i, were seen in distant towns. Additionally, vast clouds of gas and ash were released, reaching even mainland Europe. The gases were carried by the convective eruption column to altitudes of about 15 km. The aerosols built up caused a cooling effect in the Northern Hemisphere, possibly by as much as 1 degree C.
Consequences
The consequences for the whole country were fatal. Cattle died because of poisoning and this ensued a famine causing the death of 20% of the population in the following years (see: [1].
Jón Steingrímsson
The parish priest Jón Steingrimsson grew famous because of his so-called fire sermon. The whole community of the small town Kirkjubćjarklaustur was in church. At the same time the town was endangered by a lava stream. But while the people were in church, the lava stopped not far from town. "This said week, and the two prior to it, more poison fell from the sky than words can describe: ash, volcanic hairs, rain full of sulfur and salt peter, all of it mixed with sand. The snouts, nostrils, and feet of livestock grazing or walking on the grass turned bright yellow and raw. All water went tepid and light blue in color and gravel slides turned gray. All the earth's plants burned, withered and turned gray, one after the another, as the fire increased and neared the settlements." (Rev. Jón Steingrímsson, Fires of the Earth, The Laki Eruption (1783-1784)
See also
External links
Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04
