Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Residents' Knowledge and Perception of Katla, Jökulhlaup Hazard, and
Emergency Procedures
Participants were asked if they could give a brief eruptive history of Katla and a defini-
tion of jökulhlaup. In order to be counted as correct for the history of Katla, partici-
pants were expected to mention: The last confirmed eruption in 1918; or, the possible
eruptions in 1955 and/or 1999; and, the frequency of Katla eruptions as 1, 2, or 3 times
per century. However, some participants were counted as correct if they mentioned
just one of the above in addition to detailed information about other aspects of Katla.
Based on this, a correct response was given by 63% of participants, 7% were incorrect
while a further 30% stated they did not know (Table 2). None of the participants in the
18-30 year age group gave a correct answer while only 27% of the correct answers
came from the 31-50 year age group. A correct response for jökulhlaup was credited
to answers that defined a flood of water from a glacier. Nearly all participants (94%)
gave a correct response. Only 6% stated they did not know.
Sixty-seven percent of participants perceive that their region could be affected
while 32% of participants stated no they do not perceive the hazard could affect their
region. Eighty percent of participants from the community of Vestur-Eyjafjöll do not
perceive the threat to their area and 93% of these people live within 2 km of the
Markarfl jót.
When the participants were asked if they are aware of the emergency procedures
they need to follow if a jökulhlaup warning is issued 89% responded “yes”. Seventy-
one percent of participants correctly described the evacuation procedure, 19% stated
that they would stay in their homes while the remaining 10% said that it would depend
on:
• If it was occurring right away we would stay. If we had a few hours we might
go to Hvolsvöllur;
• I would go to higher ground if at night or during bad weather. If the weather
is good and it is daylight I would follow the evacuation procedure and go to
Hvolsvöllur; and
• I would follow the plan to some extent but I would use commonsense especially
if they tell me to do something that I know is wrong or dangerous.
Of the participants that live in Vestur-Eyjafjöll 60% of them said they would stay
in their homes. Reasons given to clarify their response were:
• We consider ourselves safe where we live and therefore we will not evacuate.
Also, for health reasons I feel better about staying at home;
• All farms in this community are 30-40 m higher than the river bed;
• I would not evacuate as I feel safe and comfortable in my own home. I am con-
cerned about driving along the road which in my opinion is very dangerous as
the road is in the lowland area and close to the river. After 30 min we will spend
much time in the danger zone driving out of this area; and
• We would not evacuate. We would stay here on the farm. It is safer here than
on the road. Tephra may block the road and rock fall may occur due to seismic
activity.
