It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Environmental group adds 3 vegetables to its annual Dirty Dozen list
Since 2004, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released an annual list of fruits and vegetables the group calls the Dirty Dozen, because they're deemed to contain the most pesticides. But there are a few surprises to this year's list.
While kale has been alone in the No. 3 spot since 2019 — the first time it made the list in 10 years — the group added mustard greens and collard greens alongside it. All three are known to be low in calories, high in fiber and have antioxidant qualities. Strawberries are No. 1 and spinach comes in at No. 2 on the list.
Bell peppers, tested for the first time since 2012, and hot peppers (chile peppers), came in at No. 10, knocking tomatoes to the No. 11 spot.
EWG's yearly Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce is based on test data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The group identified, according to a news release, which fresh fruits and vegetables contain the most and the least amount of pesticide residue.
70% of nonorganic fresh produce sold in the U.S. had pesticides.
20 different pesticides were found in a single sample of the three leafy greens in the No. 3 spot.
115 pesticides — the highest amount — were found on bell peppers.
“Whether organic or conventionally grown, fruits and vegetables are critical components of a healthy diet,” said EWG toxicologist Thomas Galligan in a news release. “We urge consumers who are concerned about their pesticide intake to consider, when possible, purchasing organically grown versions of the foods on EWG’s Dirty Dozen, or conventional produce from our Clean Fifteen.”
Eat your veggies
The annual report is not without controversy.
What’s important to note is that dietitians and health experts recommend that the overall goal is for Americans to increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables for a healthy, well-balanced diet.
strong opponents of EWG's annual list, says it shows a negative impact on fruit and vegetable consumption
WHICH IS COMPLETE BS EWG HAS NO SUCH POWER PR OR ACTIVIST AFF ON THE OTHER HAND HAS AN OVERSIZED ABILITY TO COUNTER EWG AND AS USUAL WITH CORPORATE SHILLS THEY BLAME CITIZEN ACTIVISTS FOR THE FAILURES IN THEIR INDUSTRY
“Last year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) faced significant criticism from the nutrition community for inaccurately escalating and perpetuating consumer safety fears about these healthy foods as our world was locking down due to the pandemic,” Teresa Thorne, Executive Director of the AFF said in a news release. “EWG continues to dismiss the needs of consumers and disrespect farmers by choosing to inaccurately disparage the very foods health experts agree we should eat more of every day to improve immune function, prevent diseases and increase lifespan.”
They also point out that the USDA's Pesticide Data Program report finds that 99% of samples tested fell below the safety standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, more than 40% of produce tested had no detectable pesticide residue.
Only one in 10 Americans eat enough fruits and vegetables daily, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC recommends that adults eat 1½-2 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables per day.
The AFF also points to studies that found eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, may reduce the risk for certain diseases. Another Tufts University study found that prescribing fruits and vegetables would prevent nearly 2 million cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, 350,000 deaths and cut health care costs by $40 billion.
The AFF finds that the EWG's Dirty Dozen list creates fear and disparages consumers from buying — organic or not.
“With only one in 10 Americans eating enough fruits and vegetables each day, we should be promoting consumption to enhance immune function and prevent illness, not discouraging it with tactics like the Dirty Dozen list,” Thorne added.
Alexis Temkin, Ph.D., EWG toxicologist, says the group advises that eating a diet that is high in fruit and vegetables, organic or conventional and including frozen and canned, should be a priority.
"There is increasing evidence that low dose chronic exposure to mixture of pesticides may have adverse effects on human health, particularly during sensitive windows of development like pregnancy and childhood," Temkin said in an email to the Free Press.
EWG said it is aware that access and being able to afford organic is not always an option. That is why, they said, the group created its "Clean 15" shoppers guide.
While the EWG's list is based on USDA data, most pesticide residues detected fall within established government levels.
Along with the Dirty Dozen list, EWG releases its list of fruits and vegetables that contain the least amount of pesticides. At the top of that list is the beloved avocado. Also, on the list are asparagus, cabbage, and cauliflower — all known as nutritional all-stars.
MORE CORPORATE SHILLING IN THE FOOD SECTION
To help consumers the AFF provides an easy-to-use risk at safefruitsandveggies.com showing how many servings of a specific fruit or vegetable one would have to eat without any effect on the highest amount of pesticide residue the USDA recorded.
With bell peppers that would be 196 servings for a woman in one day.
To handle fruits and vegetables safely, the FDA recommends washing them before eating or using.
I HAVE WORKED WITH EWG IN THE PAST IN A PROFESSIONAL CAPICITY WHEN I WAS EPSB CUSTODIAL CONSULTANT AND FOUND THEM CREDIBLE IT IS A FACT THAT CONCENTRATIONS OF PESTICIDES STAY IN YOUR BODY THEY ARE ALL (HERBICIDES,PESTICIDES, TOXIC CHEMICALS, ETC.)FOREVER CHEMICALS
EWG's list of most contaminated fruits and vegetables Strawberries Spinach Kale, collard and mustard greens Nectarines Apples Grapes Cherries Peaches Pears Bell and hot peppers Celery Tomatoes
Last Friday, the Fagradalsfjall volcano near Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik began erupting for the first time in 800 years after the island nation was hit by thousands of small earthquakes. Thankfully, the eruption was small and has not put anyone in danger. Instead, it’s gifted the world with some awe-inspiring views of lava flowing from the ground.
The sight has been best captured by Icelandic drone pilot Bjorn Steinbekk, who took the straightforward approach of flying right through the eruption. We spotted the footage from Steinbekk (above) via Twitter, and it seems he flew several sorties through the airborne lava — a daring feat that makes us wonder how his drone survived the high temperatures.
If the eruption of Fagradalsfjall looks relatively minor for a volcano, that’s because it is. “The eruption is considered a small one and the eruption fissure is about 500-700 metres (1640-2300 feet) long,” said the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) in a statement. “The lava is less than 1 square kilometre (0.4 square miles) in size.”
You can get a better sense of the scale of the thing in these images taken on Sunday below. They show crowds of hikers admiring the eruption, which is located around 40 kilometers west of the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik
This video below also shows you a before and after of the eruption site, which is nestled in a small valley in an uninhabited region of the country. News reports say there’s been no ash fall created by the eruption, but residents living downwind of the volcano have been told to close their windows due to possible gas emissions.
None of that has stopped Steinbekk from getting up-close-and-personal with Fagradalsfjall. And if you want to see more of his fantastic videos and images of Iceland from the air, you can check out his official Instagram. There are some truly wonderful shots to admire.
The US Phase III trial of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine has demonstrated an efficacy of 79% at preventing symptomatic Covid-19, and 100% efficacy at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation.
The Phase III trial showed AZ’s Covid-19 vaccine to be reliably effective among those aged 65 years and over, in whom the jab demonstrated an efficacy of 80%.
Credit: AstraZeneca
The US Phase III trial of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine has demonstrated an efficacy of 79% at preventing symptomatic Covid-19, and 100% efficacy at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation.
A specific review of thrombotic events and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis during the trial, conducted by the independent safety monitoring board and an independent neurologist, found no increased risk of thrombosis among the 21,583 trial participants receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.
The review findings come after several European countries paused rollouts of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine, following reports of blood clotting events in a small number of those vaccinated.
The European Medicines Agency last week concluded that the vaccine is “safe and effective” following an investigation into a potential link between the jab and blood clots, while the World Health Organisation urged countries to continue administering the vaccine.
The randomised Phase III trial also showed the vaccine to be reliably effective among those aged 65 years and over, in whom the jab demonstrated an efficacy of 80%.
The results among older participants confirm the vaccine’s efficacy in those aged over 65. Earlier this year, numerous European countries decided to limit the AstraZeneca vaccine to under-65s, citing a lack of evidence for the vaccine in the older age group. Several of these countries, including Germany and France, have since approved the jab for use in older people in response to the publication of further safety and efficacy data.
In the Phase III study, around 20% of participants were aged 65 or older, and approximately 60% had co-morbidities associated with an increased risk for progression of severe Covid-19, such as diabetes, severe obesity or cardiac disease.
The trial involved a total of 32,449 participants – two-thirds of whom received the vaccine – across 88 sites in the US, Peru and Chile.
University of Rochester School of Medicine professor Ann Falsey, one of the principal investigators for the trial, said: “These findings reconfirm previous results observed in AZD1222 trials across all adult populations but it’s exciting to see similar efficacy results in people over 65 for the first time.
“This analysis validates the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine as a much-needed additional vaccination option, offering confidence that adults of all ages can benefit from protection against the virus.”
The new data, which AstraZeneca will continue to analyse, is set to be submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration for Emergency Use Authorisation in the coming weeks. The vaccine has already been approved for emergency use in the UK, European Union and many other countries globally.
AstraZeneca executive vice president of biopharmaceuticals R&D Mene Pangalos said: “These results add to the growing body of evidence that shows this vaccine is well tolerated and highly effective against all severities of Covid-19 and across all age groups.
“We are confident this vaccine can play an important role in protecting millions of people worldwide against this lethal virus. We are preparing to submit these findings to the US Food and Drug Administration and for the rollout of millions of doses across America should the vaccine be granted US Emergency Use Authorisation.”
expert reaction to press release from AstraZeneca announcing interim data on safety and efficacy from the US trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
AstraZeneca has published a press release announcing that the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine US Phase III trial met primary efficacy endpoint in preventing COVID-19 at interim analysis.
Dr Peter English, Retired Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, Former Editor of Vaccines in Practice Magazine, Immediate past Chair of the BMA Public Health Medicine Committee, said:
“This press release provides more good news about vaccines in general and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine in particular.1 It is consistent with previous studies of the vaccine.
“Part of the importance of the study it describes is that it will support the emergency use authorisation which is reportedly soon to be (if not already) being applied for in the United States.
“The press release describes a large phase III trial conducted in the US, Peru and Chile, with 32,449 participants of all ages and of different ethnicities, two-thirds of whom were given the active vaccine, and the other third a placebo vaccine (no doubt the full peer-reviewed papers will tell us what the placebo contained). It gives us information from an interim analysis of data from these trials.
“The press release tells us that there were 141 cases of symptomatic disease in participants, and that the vaccine showed the following characteristics:
“79% vaccine efficacy at preventing symptomatic COVID-19
“100% efficacy against severe or critical disease and hospitalisation
“Comparable efficacy result across ethnicity and age, with 80% efficacy in participants aged 65 years and over”
“This is a large study, so these results can be expected to be robust. They could be expected to be even more so if there were more cases to compare between the groups; but 141 is still a substantial number of cases.
“The press release also tells us that:
“Amongst participants in the interim analysis, approximately 79% were white/Caucasian, 8% black/African American, 4% native American and 4% Asian, and 22% of participants were Hispanic.
“Approximately 20% of participants were 65 years and over, and approximately 60% had co-morbidities associated with an increased risk for progression of severe COVID-19, such as diabetes, severe obesity or cardiac disease.”
“The full, peer-reviewed paper will no-doubt provide more detailed information on the efficacy in these subgroups; but with only 141 cases, the numbers in different subcategories may be too small to detect small efficacy differences between subgroups, if they exist. Nevertheless, it is reassuring to read that there was no obvious difference between them.
“Note that the vaccine showed “100% efficacy against severe or critical disease and hospitalisation”. In other words, NO vaccine recipients had severe or critical disease, or was hospitalised (at least, not with Covid-19), so there is no way to distinguish between efficacy at preventing different subcategories of more severe disease, and we don’t know if the study distinguished between levels of severity greater than mild-to-moderate disease.
“This also means that there were no cases of the more severe forms of disease in people aged 65 years and over – in this age group, the vaccine had 100% efficacy at preventing such disease; 80% efficacy against any symptomatic disease in this age group. (The same concept applies to other subgroups.)
“The report also shows that there were no safety concerns. It looked particularly at clotting (“thrombotic”) events and found no excess of cases in vaccine recipients. It was unable to shed further light on the specific clotting event that has raised concerns recently, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), other than to confirm that such events are very rare. No CVST events were detected in either arm of the study, we are told, so it was unable to confirm or refute the suggestion that this particular condition may be more common following vaccination.
“The fact that there were no such events, however, does emphasise the rarity of this condition, and that even if there were to be an increase in the relative risk following vaccination, the absolute risk remains very low.
“(I have yet to see any explanation as to why this particular clotting event (CVST) might be more common post-vaccination when other clotting events are not. If you look for enough rare events, one of them will, by chance, be more common in people who were vaccinated in the study population you used, without this being a causal relationship but just chance. My strong suspicion is that this will prove to be the case for CVST.)
“The press release does refer to the prime-boost interval, stating:
“This AstraZeneca-led US Phase III trial included two doses administered at a four week interval. Previous trials have shown that an extended interval of up to 12 weeks demonstrated greater efficacy, which was also supported by immunogenicity data. This evidence suggests administration of the second dose with an interval longer than four weeks could further increase efficacy and accelerates the number of people who can receive their first dose.”
“Decades of vaccine research tell us that a longer prime-boost interval is likely to increase vaccine efficacy, and, as they say this is supported by immunogenicity data; but it should be noted that the study the press release is describing used a four-week prime-boost interval. There is nothing in the press release to suggest that the study examined vaccine efficacy with different prime-boost intervals.
“One thing that is not clear in this press release is whether the study provided any information on the real-world efficacy of the vaccine against different variants of the virus. There is no information on whether genomic typing of the cases was undertaken, the prevalence of different variants in the study population, or the dates during which the data were collected (which would allow some inferences to be drawn on variant prevalence and thus vaccine efficacy against the variants). We know from other work that the vaccine seems to be highly effective against many variants, in particular the more transmissible B.1.1.7 variant; but we do not know if the study will add to our knowledge on this.”
Dr Andrew Garrett, Executive VP, Scientific Operations, ICON Clinical Research, said:
“This is clearly stated as an AstraZeneca-led trial, and it more closely follows the large phase III vaccine trials reported by other sponsors. In this respect it is a solid 30,000 plus participant study with a placebo control, and a simple 4 week dosing interval, such that interpretation is more straightforward than previous Oxford/AZ vaccine trials. It has a good age mix with more than 6,000 participants aged >65 years and also wide ethnic representation. Interim efficacy is clearly stated as being 79% against symptomatic COVID-19 and 100% effective against severe disease. Detailed numbers are not provided at this time and the lower confidence limit is not stated. Importantly the trial provides further support for efficacy in the elderly (80%) where previous clinical trial data, other than immunological data, had been lacking. The study randomized two subjects to receive vaccine for every subject that received placebo providing a large safety database of 20,000 plus participants who received active vaccine. As described, this has been used to investigate the potential association of the vaccine with thrombotic events and specifically cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, of which there were no cases detected. Overall it was reported that there was no increased risk of thrombosis. These data are therefore timely in further addressing any safety concerns that could undermine vaccine uptake.
“The trial is directed at generating data to support emergency use in the US but also provides valuable data to other countries – both confirming efficacy using a 4-week dosing interval and re-enforcing vaccine safety.”
Prof Stephen Evans, Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said:
“These results are not surprising given what we know now. The US regulatory authorities are reluctant, even in a pandemic, to rely totally on data obtained outside the US, so this trial was done to provide convincing evidence of efficacy and safety in a sufficiently large number of US patients. The benefits of these results will mainly be for the rest of the world where confidence in the AZ vaccine has been eroded, largely by political and media comment. Once that happens, reporting of adverse effects becomes very biased and confidence can spiral downwards. The rest of the world that will rely on this low-cost vaccine may be able to procced with vaccinating their populations.
“Vaccine development and rollout should be an international collaboration rather than nationalistic fervour whether in favour of, or against, a particular vaccine. Assessment should be based on science alone.
“It is important also to realise that the “headline” efficacy numbers are valid for comparison between the groups in a trial, but great care is needed in comparisons between trials. The way that events are assessed and counted as well as the context of a trial means that exact values for any between trial comparison are uncertain, not only because of statistical uncertainty, but also because of these other factors.
“It is clear this vaccine has very good efficacy (remember that 60% was, prior to any trials being started, regarded as a good target), and that this efficacy does not show a notable decline at older ages. This was expected and the speculation that it was ineffective (or “quasi-ineffective”) at older ages was totally unjustified.
“This is good news for the global community and one hopes that any political statements around this good news are avoided.”
Dr Peter English: “No conflicts of interest to declare.”
Dr Andrew Garrett: “I am employed by ICON which is a Contract Research Organization. ICON provides pharmaceutical services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. ICON conducts clinical trials on behalf of Sponsors, including vaccine trials. I am a member of the UK Statistical Authority’s (UKSA) Research Accreditation Panel. I have received one dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as part of the UK vaccination program.”
Prof Stephen Evans: “No conflicts of interest. I am funded (one day per week) by LSHTM. They get funding from various companies, including Astra Zeneca and GSK but I am not funded by them, I have no involvement in obtaining funding from them and I am not an investigator on any grants obtained from them. I am the statistician to the ‘meta-Data Safety and Monitoring Board’ for CEPI. I am paid for my attendance at those meetings and will be paid expenses for travel if that occurs. I am a participant in the Oxford/Astra Zeneca trial, and on 13th January 2021 learnt I had received the active vaccine.”
Doctors and other medical professionals took to the streets in Myanmar's second-largest city on Sunday to protest the military coup that ousted the country's civilian government last month.
Reuters reported that protests occurred in multiple towns across the country including Mandalay, where hundreds of demonstrators joined the doctor-led protest. Engineers in the city also held their own "no-human strike," and lined up signs in the street with anti-military messages, according to The Associated Press
At least one person was killed, according to multiple news sources, after being shot by a member of the military. Thousands of protesters have been arrested since the coup early last month, but figures on arrests Sunday were not immediately available.
Military officials have alleged that last year's election, which incumbent state counselor Aung San Suu Kyi's party won, was fraudulent. The country's electoral commission has rejected this finding, but military officials have nonetheless promised new elections while imprisoning top government officials and employing harsh tactics against demonstrators.
The State Department called on Myanmar's military to "restore the democratically elected government, release all those who have been unjustly detained, lift the restrictions on telecommunications, and refrain from violence" earlier this month.
Monday, March 22, 2021
First female U.S. vice president Harris congratulates Tanzania's first woman president Hassan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday congratulated Tanzania's new president Samia Suluhu Hassan, the first woman to hold that office, and said the United States was ready to strengthen ties between the two countries.
Harris, the first woman and first person of color to serve as U.S. vice president, made the comment in a posting on Twitter.
"Sending best wishes to @SuluhuSamia following her swearing in as Tanzania's new President - the first woman to hold the office. The United States stands ready to work with you to strengthen relations between our countries," she wrote.
Hassan, who had been vice president since 2015, on Friday urged the country to unite https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N2LH099 and avoid pointing fingers after the death of John Magufuli, her COVID-19 sceptic predecessor.
The U.S. Trade Representative's office is leading U.S. efforts to forge a new trade and investment partnership with the East African Community, a regional organization that includes Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Total trade between the two countries was $462 million in 2019. U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) in Tanzania was $1.5 billion in 2019, a 5.2% increase from 2018, according to U.S. government data.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Grant McCool)
VULCAN PORNO
Thousands flock to Iceland's erupting volcano
Thousands of curious onlookers have flocked to an erupting volcano in Iceland to marvel at the hypnotic display of glowing red lava, the bravest of them grilling hot dogs and marshmallows over the smoldering embers.
"It smells pretty bad. For me what was surprising was the colours of the orange: much, much deeper than what one would expect," he tells AFP.
The incandescent lava bubbles and spurts from a small cone in the Geldingadalur valley, piling up in the basin and slowly turning a thick black as it cools.
Some 300,000 cubic metres (10.5 million cubic feet) of lava have poured out of the ground so far, according to experts, although the eruption is considered relatively small and controlled.
"For me it's the heat that really surprised me. When we approached the lava flowing on the ground, the temperature rose by 10-15 degrees and our faces flushed," says Emilie Saint-Mleux, a French exchange student in Iceland who came with two friends.
"It reminds you a little of a barbecue in summer," jokes her friend Lucille Fernemont.
Access to the site was blocked in the first hours after the eruption. Authorities then lifted the roadblocks but discouraged visits, but by Saturday afternoon visitors were allowed -- under strict guidelines.
"We are just here to look after the people and see that everything is okay. And just watch that the people are not going too close to the lava and asking them step back," explains Atli Gunnarsson, a 45-year-old police officer, donning a yellow hardhat with a gas mask in hand.
Rescue teams also had to help dozens of freezing and exhausted people find their way back to the road on Sunday in the dark as weather conditions deteriorated.
A small recurring beep can be heard around the emergency crews. They're carrying devices that measure gas pollution, especially sulphur dioxide, which can pose a danger to health and even be fatal.
Early Monday, authorities again blocked the site due to high levels of gas pollution. - Rare opportunity -
This is the first volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula in more than 800 years, and it has been more than 900 years since the Krysuvik volcanic system, to which Fagradalsfjall belongs, has erupted.
While eruptions are common in Iceland, with one taking place about every five years on average, they usually occur far from populated zones, in inaccessible areas. Others are too dangerous to allow public
This time, the curious can inspect the lava up close after a six-kilometre (four-mile) hike from a road near the fishing port of Grindavik, the closest populated town with 3,500 inhabitants, not far from the famed tourist destination, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.
By Sunday, the throngs of hikers trodding across the volcanic moss had already left a visible trail to the Geldingadalur valley.
Others chose to break their piggybanks for a spot in the many helicopters flying over the volcano at the weekend.
While the number of tourists in Iceland has plunged because of the pandemic -- tourism usually accounts for more than eight percent of the economy -- the island is trying to kickstart the industry.
It recently opened its doors to any international travellers who can prove they have either been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or recovered from the illness.
It remains to be seen however if Iceland will be able to capitalise on the volcano.
According to experts, the eruption could die out quickly, possibly within a few days.
str/map/po/txw
A 6,000-year-dormant Icelandic volcano just erupted — and it’s awesome
The eruption near Reykjavik followed months of earthquakes, and led to beautiful orange and red skies.
The March 20 eruption near Mount Fagradalsfjall in Iceland.
Vilhelm Gunnarsson/Getty Images
After months of earthquakes, a long-dormant volcano in the southwest of Iceland erupted on Friday night, leading to dramatic videos and splendid red skies near the country’s capital city.
According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office, the eruption near Mount Fagradalsfjall, about 20 miles southwest of Reykjavik, took place at 8:45 pm. Though considered small, the eruption created a fissure about 1,640 feet long, and spewed more than 10 million square feet of lava, sometimes in fountains reaching heights of more than 300 feet.
It was the first volcanic eruption in this part of Iceland — the Reykjanes Peninsula, home to Reykjavik, where most of the country’s residents live — in 781 years. And it was the first time this particular volcano had gone off in about 6,000 years.
The eruption, in the Geldinga Valley, was remote enough that evacuations were not necessary, and no structures were endangered.
“As of now it is not considered a threat to surrounding towns,” said Iceland’s prime minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, on Twitter on Friday night. “We ask people to keep away from the immediate area and stay safe.”
Experts warned residents to beware emissions of dangerous gases, including carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, and there were some resulting traffic jams. Drones were temporarily prohibited from flying over the area, to allow scientists first access, but flights in and out of the international Keflavik
Airport have not been affected.
The head of emergency management in the country told people to close their windows and stay inside to avoid volcanic gas pollution, which could spread as far as Thorlákshöfn, a city about 30 miles south of Reykjavik.
But on Saturday, the meteorological office said, “Currently, gas pollution is not expected to cause much discomfort for people except close up to the source of the eruption.”
The eruption is ongoing, and could last for “a day or a month,” Magnús Tumi Gudmundsson, a geophysicist at the University of Iceland, told RÚV, the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.
That makes this latest Icelandic geologic event starkly different than than the large-scale earthquake at the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in 2010, which caused more than 100,000 flights across Europe to be canceled for weeks afterwards as ash spread across northern Europe and Great Britain. That was described as the largest shutdown of airspace since WWII.
“The more we see, the smaller this eruption gets,” Páll Einarsson, a geophysicist at the University of Iceland, told the Associated Press on Saturday.
Despite the relatively small size, the eruption provided residents with unique views — and people across the region shared photos of the skies, as scientists set up a livestream of the flowing lava.
Iceland’s location makes it particularly susceptible to earthquakes — and eruptions
Iceland is no stranger to volcanic activity. There is usually an eruption every four or five years because the island is in a region that is particularly susceptible to seismic activity. The most recent one, in 2014, was at Holuhraun, a lava field in the Icelandic Highlands.
Earthquakes are a familiar experience, too; since 2014, the country registered between 1,000 and 3,000 earthquakes per year. But since December 2019, that number has dramatically increased, according to the New York Times; scientists are still working to understand why.
In the last week alone, Iceland experienced more than 18,000 earthquakes, with more than 3,000 on Sunday. At least 400 had taken place in the area of the volcano the day before the eruption — and that was a relatively calm day, according to state meteorologists.
“This is somewhat less seismic activity in comparison to previous mornings where the numbers have been around 1,000 earthquakes,” the meteorological office said.
Many of those earthquakes were undetectable to ordinary people, but some were of magnitude 3 and greater, so that they could be felt. The largest was a 5.7-magnitude quake on the morning of February 24, followed by a magnitude 5 tremor 30 minutes later.
“I have experienced earthquakes before, but never so many in a row,” Reykjavik resident Audur Alfa Ólafsdóttir told CNN earlier this month. “It is very unusual to feel the Earth shake 24 hours a day for a whole week. It makes you feel very small and powerless against nature.”
According to Thorvaldur Thórdarson, a professor of volcanology at the University of Iceland, the cause of this dramatic increase in seismic activity is still being studied.
“We are battling with the ‘why’ at the moment. Why is this happening?” he told CNN. “It is very likely that we have an intrusion of magma into the [Earth’s] crust there. It has definitely moved closer to the surface, but we are trying to figure out if it’s moving even closer to it.”
Icelanders were warned about possible volcanic activity as a result of the earthquakes beginning on March 3. Officials at the time did not expect the event to be life-threatening or affect property.
Iceland’s location along a series of tectonic plates — known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge — has made it uniquely susceptible to activity.
As the Times’s Elian Peltier writes, “The country straddles two tectonic plates, which are themselves divided by an undersea mountain chain that oozes molten hot rock, or magma. Quakes occur when the magma pushes through the plates.”
Officials, including Justice Minister Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir, the Coast Guard, and first responders shared overhead images of bright lava spilling through the fissure.
And many Icelanders shared images on social media of the eruption’s aftermath, which cast an orange hue into the sky. At night, from certain angles, its glow merged with the famed green and blue of the northern lights.
Pop star Björk — perhaps Iceland’s most famous resident — was one of those expressing excitement about the historic event and ensuing beauty.
“YESSS !! , eruption !!” she wrote on Instagram on Friday. “We in iceland are sooo excited !!! we still got it !!! sense of relief when nature expresses herself !!!”
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