Farmers in Öxarfjörður, Northeast Iceland, have decided to round up their free-roaming sheep and horses because of the threat of an eruption in sub-glacial volcano Bárðarbunga in the northwestern part of Vatnajökull glacier and major glacial flood in Jökulsá á Fjöllum, ruv.is reports.
As reported, Iceland’s Civil Protection Department has decided to evacuate the area north of Dyngjujökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, due to a possible volcanic eruption in Bárðarbunga, which lies below the icecap, and a glacial outburst flood, fed by the melt water.
This means that the area stretching north of Vatnajökull to Ring Road 1 is now off limits to the public. Highland roads in the area have been closed, and local search and rescue teams have been called out to help with the evacuation, including of frequented tourist destinations such as Askja, Herðubreiðarlindir, Hvannalindir and Kverkfjöll.
However, the waterfall Dettifoss, which is in Jökulsá á Fjöllum, lies north of the Ring Road and hence this popular tourist attraction remains open.
Around 3,500 earthquakes have hit under the glacier since Saturday, making it the most intense seismic activity on record in the region, as stated on ruv.is.
While seismic activity around the volcano is ongoing, there is no immediate danger, and so the evacuation measures are only precautionary.
