An aerial view of Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula volcanic eruption (Image: Almannavarnadeild/Anadolu/Getty Images)
The Met Office has issued a statement following news that volcanic gas would be spreading across the UK today. The sulphur dioxide plume is the result of a volcanic irruption in Iceland.
On August 22, an eruption occurred on the Reykjanes peninsula in the south-west region of the country. As a result, the gas has been pushed into the atmos
However, the impact of this is expected to be low, according to the Met Office. They told The Sun: “A sulphur dioxide plume which originated from the volcano in Iceland has been crossing the UK high up in the atmosphere and will clear to the southeast in the coming hours.
“Impacts have been low from this sulphur dioxide, as it is high in the atmosphere and is having little influence on ground-level air quality. Small concentrations at surface level mean that the air pollution levels remain low.
“Air pollution is currently Low, and expected to remain that way for the whole of the UK today. We’re continuing to monitor any sulphur dioxide release originating from Iceland, with current forecasts suggesting little influence on UK surface air pollution in the coming days.”
The Foreign Office has issued advice to anyone travelling to Iceland. They said: “Recently there has been a series of volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland, the latest on 22 August.
“These have affected the town of Grindavik and the area to the north of it. Icelandic authorities advise that you stay away from this area. All roads to Grindavik and the surrounding area are closed.
“It is likely there will be further eruptions in this location. Monitor local media for updates and follow the authorities’ advice on travel to the area. Keflavik International Airport and the road to it is unaffected and operating normally. The capital city, Reykjavik, and the rest of Iceland is not impacted by the eruptions.”
They added: “Volcanic activity is closely monitored for any signs of unrest in Iceland’s 32 active systems. Infrastructure is robustly designed, but not all events can be anticipated and can pose risks to your travel plans such as: travel delays and cancellations, poisonous volcanic gases, rock falls and landslides [and] sudden and large flooding.”
