How to pronounce Öræfajökull

Rax / Ragnar Axelsson

While there are still no signs of an iminent eruption, Öræfajökull is under close surveillance. In the event of an eruption it might be useful to learn to pronounce the name of the volcano, which is a little less of a tongue-twister than Eyjafjallajökull. 

Öræfi is an Icelandic word that means wilderness or waste land. Jökull means glacier. The word is pronounced phonetically like this: œːraivaˌjœːkʏtl  and for those not familiar with phonetic symbols you could say that it's pronounced something like "Err iver yerkotl. "

Öræfajökull hasn't erupted since 1727 but an earlier eruption in 1362 destroying the district of Litla-Hérað with floods and tephra fall. More than 40 years passed before people settled in the area again, now known as Öræfi. 

Öræfajökull is located at the southern part of Vatnajökull glacier and on the summit crater of the north western rim is Iceland's higest peak, Hvannadalshnúkur at 2119 metres high. 

The stunning new images of Öræfajökull accompanying this article are by renowned Morgunblaðið photographer Ragnar Axelsson who flew across the glacier yesterday. 

Rax / Ragnar Axelsson

Rax / Ragnar Axelsson

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