An Icelandic Community Battles a Volcano - and Wins
The inhabitants of Iceland are in daily contact with volcanism. Volcanic heat mitigates the harsh cold of these sub-Arctic islands through the geothermal water that provides warmth for homes.
In 1973, eruptions began on one of the tiny Vestmann Islands south of Iceland's main island. Heimaey, one of Iceland's most important and prosperous fishing ports, was nearly destroyed by the eruptions. First ash and then lava flows erupted from a new fissure on the edge of the town. The ashfall quickly buried nearby parts of the town and accumulated on the streets and houses. Flaming spatter ignited roofs, burning some houses. Within a week a cinder cone 150 meters high stood on the edge of the town.
Most residents were evacuated, but the townspeople who remained worked hard to save the rest of the town. Ash was shoveled off roofs before a heavy accumulation could cause them to collapse. Windows were sealed off with sheet metal to prevent drifting ash from breaking them. Despite the constant volcanic activity, water and electrical services were maintained. The greatest fear was that the harbor would be blocked by a 40-meter-high tongue of rubbly aa lava that began moving slowly away from the main flow and toward the harbor, engulfing twelve houses in one day. The town's livelihood depended on the survival of the harbor.
To halt the lava's advance, fire hoses and large pumps were put to work to cool down the lava with seawater. This unprecedented step apparently worked; the lava front hardened enough so that new lava was deflected elsewhere. The harbor was saved, but the island was covered with black ash and lava.
Five months after they began, the eruptions stopped. Nearly all the evacuated residents returned to resume their lives on the volcano-built island. Ash cleared from the streets and buildings was used to make an extension of the airport runway.
The town benefited by having a unique heating system engineered and built for it. By 1982, nearly every home in the town was being heated by the lava flows. Water is pumped to the lava flow where it percolates through the pyroclastic layers overlying the flows. The water turns to steam, which is collected and goes to a central station. From there, hot water condensed from the steam is circulated through individual homes. The cooled down water is recycled through the lava flows.
