Volcanic Activity in Reykjanes

If you are in Iceland when an eruption occurs, do not approach the site for your own safety and respect any closures put in place by the authorities. 

The latest information on closures and affected areas can be found on the Safe Travel website.

For the latest travel advice and further updates, please see Visit Iceland’s website.

The status of international travel including flights to Iceland can be found on the website of Keflavik Airport or the airport in Iceland to which you are travelling. 

You should also contact your hotel or travel agency for any further updates relevant to your itinerary.    

Iceland is generally well prepared to deal with seismic and volcanic activity, which is a regular feature of life in our country. 

Yes, volcanic eruptions release volcanic gases in the atmosphere in variable amounts, which is regularly monitored by the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO). The concentrations of gases at the ground is looked at by the IMO, at stations located nearby the eruption site, as well as by the Environmental Agency of Iceland, at stations located in inhabited areas.

In Iceland, concentrations of volcanic gases have occasionally exceeded health safety limits during an eruption in inhabited areas, predominantly those local to the volcanic activity. Concentrations detected at stations outside Iceland are at lower levels and have rarely and only for short periods reached level of concern for human health, where it becomes noticeable to those with lung conditions. 

In other countries, authorities responsible for the air quality monitoring can report on polluting events, if any, when the volcanic clouds travel beyond hundreds of km from Iceland and extends potentially to other territories.

Those concerned about any local impact should refer to their national health and safety agency or meteorological office for updates and guidance.

Background info:

The most abundant volcanic gas is water vapour. CO2 and SO2 can also often be released in larger quantities. SO2 can be transported by the wind and, possibly, reaching long distances of the order of 1000s of km. The amount of SO2 reaching the ground depends greatly on the initial released amount, the height of injection in the atmosphere and the intensity of the wind among other factors.