'Gateway to hell' ready to re-open
File photo courtesy: Wikipedia
Digital Reporter
Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 8:32 PM - An Icelandic volcano dubbed the “Gateway to Hell,” is poised to erupt for the first time in 16 years.
Hekla volcano, located in South Iceland, erupted approximately once every 10 years between 1970 and 2000. It's been quiet ever since.
Now, experts are warning people to stay away from the crater, which is a popular tourist destination.
“Hekla is a dangerous volcano,” University of Iceland Geophysics Professor Páll Einarsson said, via Icelandic news agency Visir . “We could be looking at a major disaster when the next eruption begins if we are not careful.”
Between 20 and 30 planes fly directly over Hekla daily, meaning there could be significant travel disruptions should an eruption occur.
Readings suggest pressure is building up within the volcano, but an explosion could occur without warning.
Iceland is a hotbed of volcanic activity, due to its location on a divergent tectonic plate boundary on the mid-Atlantic Ridge. There are 30 active volcanic systems in the country.
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