Volcanoes in Iceland
With 11 volcanoes in Iceland there have been a total of 51 significant eruptions over the past 1,200 years. Over 200 people were killed. The worst volcanic eruption in terms of deaths, destroyed houses and financial damages happened on 06/05/1362 with the eruption of "Oraefajokull". Here, 220 people died.All 37 volcanoes in Iceland are still considered as active. Additionally there are five active submarine volcanoes.
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Significant volcanic eruptions in Iceland in the last 1200 years
The following list shows all volcanic eruptions of the last 1,200 years with significant damage. The column "VEI" stands for the volcano explosivity index, which represents the strength of the eruption from a geological point of view. This takes into account the height and volume of the rocks ejected. The scale ranges from 0-8, with the severity of the eruption increasing tenfold with each value. For example, a VEI of 1 means that the volcano throws lava and rock masses of 100,000 to 1 million cubic meters up to 1 kilometer high. From VEI 8, a volcano is considered a super volcano. Here, more than 1,000 cubic kilometers of tephra are thrown to altitudes of more than 25 kilometers.The highest explosivity index in Iceland reached in the review period was VEI 6 in 1477. The volcano Bardarbunga threw tephramasses of at least 10 cubic kilometers over 25 kilometers high. Such an intensity is normally only achieved every 100 years.
| Eruption | Volcano | VEI | Deaths | Total damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/31/2010 | Eyjafjallajokull | 2 | 2 | |
| 09/30/1996 | Grimsvotn | 3 | 0 | |
| 08/17/1980 | Hekla | 3 | 0 | |
| 04/27/1977 | Krafla | 1 | 0 | |
| 01/27/1973 | Vestmannaeyjar | 3 | 1 | |
| 05/05/1970 | Hekla | 3 | 0 | |
| 11/02/1947 | Hekla | 4 | 1 | |
| 09/05/1927 | Esjufjoll | 1 | 1 | |
| 10/12/1918 | Katla | 4 | 0 | |
| 03/29/1875 | Askja | 5 | 0 | |
| 05/01/1861 | Grimsvotn | 2 | 0 | |
| 01/01/1860 | Grimsvotn | 0 | 1 | |
| 09/02/1845 | Hekla | 4 | 0 | |
| 04/01/1784 | Grimsvotn | 4 | 0 | |
| 04/05/1766 | Hekla | 4 | 0 | |
| 10/17/1755 | Katla | 4 | 2 | |
| 10/15/1753 | Grimsvotn | 2 | 0 | |
| 06/30/1729 | Krafla | 2 | 0 | |
| 02/01/1729 | Bardarbunga | 1 | 0 | |
| 08/03/1727 | Oraefajokull | 4 | 3 | |
| 02/01/1726 | Bardarbunga | 1 | 0 | |
| 05/11/1721 | Katla | 5 | 0 | |
| 08/04/1717 | Bardarbunga | 3 | 0 | |
| 10/05/1716 | Bardarbunga | 2 | 0 | |
| 01/15/1712 | Bardarbunga | 2 | 0 | |
| 02/13/1693 | Hekla | 4 | 0 | |
| 12/01/1684 | Grimsvotn | 2 | 1 | |
| 11/03/1660 | Katla | 4 | 0 | |
| 05/15/1636 | Hekla | 3 | 0 | |
| 01/01/1629 | Grimsvotn | 2 | 4 | |
| 09/02/1625 | Katla | 5 | 0 | |
| 01/03/1597 | Hekla | 4 | 0 | |
| 08/11/1580 | Katla | 4 | 0 | |
| 10/15/1510 | Hekla | 4 | 0 | |
| 07/25/1510 | Hekla | 4 | 1 | |
| 01/01/1500 | Katla | 4 | 0 | |
| 02/01/1477 | Bardarbunga | 6 | 0 | |
| 12/01/1389 | Hekla | 3 | 0 | |
| 06/05/1362 | Oraefajokull | 5 | 220 | |
| 01/01/1357 | Katla | 4 | 0 | |
| 05/19/1341 | Hekla | 3 | 0 | |
| 01/18/1311 | Katla | 4 | 0 | |
| 07/11/1300 | Hekla | 4 | 0 | |
| 01/01/1262 | Katla | 3 | 0 | |
| 12/04/1206 | Hekla | 2 | 0 | |
| 01/01/1177 | Katla | 3 | 0 | |
| 01/19/1158 | Hekla | 4 | 0 | |
| 01/01/1151 | Krisuvik | 1 | 0 | |
| 10/15/1104 | Hekla | 5 | 0 | |
| 01/01/0934 | Katla | 4 | 0 | |
| 01/01/0920 | Katla | 4 | 0 |
All volcanoes in Iceland
| Volcano | Elevation | Status | Last eruption |
|---|---|---|---|
| Askja | 1510 m | Active | 03/29/1875 |
| Blaufjoll | 395 m | Potentially active | |
| Brennisteinsfjoll | 543 m | Active | |
| Craters by Mundafell | 760 m | Potentially active | |
| Dyngjuhals | 1100 m | Active | |
| Easter Trippafjoll | 645 m | Potentially active | |
| Eldborg | 112 m | Active | |
| Eldborg(Hnappadalur) | 370 m | Potentially active | |
| Eldborgs | 410 m | Potentially active | |
| Eldgja | Active | ||
| Eyjafjallajokull | 1666 m | Active | 03/31/2010 |
| Grimsvotn | 1719 m | Active | 09/30/1996 |
| Hekla | 1491 m | Active | 08/17/1980 |
| Helgafell | 220 m | Active | |
| Hraftinnuhraun | 920 m | Active | |
| Jardhbadhsholar | 300 m | Active | |
| Kapelluhraun | 120 m | Potentially active | |
| Katla | 900 m | Active | 10/12/1918 |
| Krafla | 620 m | Active | 04/27/1977 |
| Krakatindur | 800 m | Active | |
| Kristnitokuhraun | 400 m | Potentially active | |
| Kverkfjoll | 1920 m | Active | |
| Laki | 650 m | Active | |
| Lambafitarhraun | 550 m | Potentially active | |
| Laugahraun | 800 m | Potentially active | |
| Leirhnukur | 650 m | Active | |
| Namshraun | 680 m | Potentially active | |
| Ogmundahraun | 120 m | Active | |
| Orafajokull | 2119 m | Active | |
| Raudhubjallar | 550 m | Potentially active | |
| Rossadalur | 400 m | Active | |
| Sidhujokull | Active | ||
| Surtsey | 174 m | Active | |
| Sveinagja | 440 m | Active | |
| Thordharhyarna | 1660 m | Active | |
| Trolladyngja | 393 m | Active | |
| Trollahraun | 900 m | Active |
These statistics are based on datas from the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program (GVP), and the Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database of the National Geophysical Data Center (NOAA) / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) doi:10.7289/V5JW8BSH. Several data have been summarized and translated.
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