Volcano Case Study

Eyjafjallajokull
Causes
1. The volcano is on the boundary of the Eurasion and North American plate
  1. The plates were on a constructive plate boundary.
    1. Magma rose to the top causing the volcano to erupt
Primary Effects
1. Glacier on top of volcano melted causing a huge ash cloud to cover most of the world
2. 500 farmers evacuated away from the volcano
3. Earthquakes
Secondary Effects
1. Flights delayed - £130 million lost in the airline industry
2. Flash Floods
3. Hundreds of thousands of tourists stranded in foreign countries
Global Effects
1. Kenya
  1. 20% of the Kenyan economy is based on the export of green vegetables (beans, sugar-snap peas and okra) and cut flowers to Europe
    1. These are perishable goods and they are transported by plane to keep them fresh.
  2. No flights into Europe meant products returned unsold and destroyed.
  3. The ash cloud has cost the Kenyan economy millions of pounds during the flight ban.
Responses
1. Short Term
  1. 700 people evacuated
  2. 500 farms evacuated
  3. Flights grounded
2. Long Term
  1. Residents now get 30 minute warnings
  2. Monitering of neighbouring volcanoes

Resource summary

	Created by Matthew Jones over 10 years ago