Holuhraun
Region: HighlandCoordinates: 64.850° N 16.8300° W
This lava field and its two crater rows were created by fissure eruptions. One of the crater rows is close to the edge of the glacier and the other further north, were the lava field is sanded and plain. The southern part is still rugged and difficult to traverse.
Just west of the lava field is a flat alluvial plain, which gets flooded when it gets warmer in spring and on warm and sunny summer days in the afternoon. Usually the water disappears into the sand further north. Quite a few unfortunate drivers have bogged down their jeeps or buses fording this wide area because of lack of experience. On warm and dry days, thick sandstorms arise and visibility is reduced to almost zero. Then it is better to have a compass at hand or reliable points to navigate through by GPS.
Breathtaking view
On a fine day the panoramic view is breathtaking in this remote area. To the east of the lava field the edge of the vast glacier snout continues all the way to the Kverkfjoll Area, and the mainstay of the volume of River Jokulsa a Fjollum alights there. In 1880, the Danish government sent a group of people to rediscover the ancient routes of the interior. This expedition visited the area and named the lava field Kvislarhraun. Four years later, the naturalist and explorer Thorvaldur Thoroddsen named it Holuhraun.
August 29th 2014. A fissure eruption has started at Holuhraun lava North of Dyngjujökull glacier in Vatnajökull glacier. No volcanic ash has been detected with the radar system.
August 31st 2014. A small fissure eruption has started again in Holuhraun lava North of Dyngjujökull glacier in Vatnajökull glacier.
The eruption site is outside of the glacier, the fissure is estimated 1.5 km long with lava flowing to northeast. No volcanic ash has been detected by the radar system.
Alert Phase continues to be in effect Aviation color-code set by the Icelandic MetOffice was raised over the eruption site from orange to red.
All airports, international and domestic, are open. Highland closures remain in effect.
September – December. Eruption are still in Holuhraun lava. The lava contnues to flow to the east north east and has grown in area. The lava have reach JOKULSA a FJOLLUM
28 Februar 2015. The volcano has paused or the eruption in Holuhraun is over.
Holuhraun in Icelandic
Volcanoes in Iceland
Self drive Gaesavatna route
Photo Credit: Joschenbacher
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