Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Yes
No
Don't know
Do you always have service coverage to your
mobile phone around your area?
64
34
Did you take part in the evacuation exercise?
68
32
Positive
Negative
Mixed
If you did take part in the exercise on March
26, 2006 how did you feel about it?
82
8
10
Yes
No
Don't know
Do you think 30 min is enough time to
complete the list (on the evacuation sign) and
evacuate?
52
42
6
Would you follow this procedure if there was
a real evacuation?
74
18
8
Ye s
N o
Have you looked up the ICP website and
familiarised yourself with information on the
possible natural hazards connected to a Katla
eruption?
19
81
Have you ever used the Skja.Jftavefsja!IMO
website for hazard information?
26
74
Have you followed discussions in the media
about natural hazards connected to a Katla
eruption?
89
11
With these comments in mind it is not surprising that 64% of farmers do not be-
lieve that 30 min is enough time. Furthermore, several participants were under the
impression that they had 30 min to complete the list and get to the evacuation center.
These people expressed great concern about this because for some of them it takes 30
min to drive to the closest evacuation center. These residents were located in Austur
and Vestur-Landeyjar (Figure 1).
Only 19% of participants had accessed hazard information related to a Katla erup-
tion from the ICP website (www.almannavarnir.is) while 26% of participants had ac-
cessed hazard information from the Skjálftavefsjá (earthquake web-viewer) website
(drifandi.vedur.is/), and the Icelandic Meteorological Offi ce (IMO) website (www.
vedur.is). Media discussions about natural hazards connected to a Katla eruption were
followed by 89% of participants and they sourced this information from television
(88%), radio (82%), newspaper (72%), information brochures (54%), books (40%),
and the internet (20%).
Once the questionnaire had been completed the participants were given the oppor-
tunity to engage in open discussion. Many participants stated their reluctance to leave
their animals and some believe that due to this many farmers may choose to stay at
home during an actual evacuation. Some participants would like to see the hazard zone
reclassifi ed in order to rank the areas according to the level of risk. These participants
felt that people may be complacent as they do not recognizes, they are actually living
in a high risk area and therefore they may prefer to stay at home with their animals during
