"The situation is being made even worse"

"Moving the airport to Hvassahraun is not improving the situation with regard to natural hazards. Then the situation is being made even worse, because there is a much greater chance of lava flowing over that station than ever where the airports already are."

This is what Þorvaldur Þórðarson, professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland, says in an interview with mbl.is.

Þórðarson points out that a possible airport parking lot in Hvassahraun is inside the same danger zone as Keflavík Airport and in a similar danger zone to Reykjavík Airport.

Seismic activity close to the airport parking lot is a concern

"The risk is not being changed in one way or another, except in Hvassahraun, the probability that lava will overflow the airport parking lot increases."

All these airports are at the same risk when it comes to volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and gas pollution.

Seismic activity and damage to a possible airport parking lot in Hvasshraun is a cause for concern, especially given that we have entered a volcanic season.

Young lava formations in the area

The report of the working group on the airport in Hvassahraun, which has been working since 2020, was presented at the meeting of the Ministry of Infrastructure recently.

Among the main results is that the airport parking lot would be mostly outside the defined volcanic systems and that the probability of eruptions in the area would be negligible. Then the area would not be exposed to the lava flow of small eruptions that would occur in the nearest volcano.

If, on the other hand, an eruption occurs in the Krýsuvík volcano system, lava could cover part of the area.

"We will have more lava eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula. We don't know how many and how big they will be, but it is very likely that it can erupt in the Krýsuvík volcanic system  and Trölladyngja system and it will send lava down towards Hvassahraun and if the volume of  lava is big enough, it can easily cross this potential airport parking lot in Hvassahraun," Þórðarson says.

"One must not forget that the foundation of this place is lava. And it's not that old."

Volcanic activity needs to be a part of the picture

"There are young lava formations both under the potential airport parking lot and in the immediate area, and it's not far up to a volcanic fissure like in Trölladyngja," he adds.

It is nonsense to talk about not having to take volcanic activity  into account.

"But then it's always a question of what's acceptable, you have to assess it every time, but given the location, there's a significant risk."