Iceland review - 2014, Page 56

54 ICELAND REVIEW
where the volcano Katla is locat-
ed, causes melt water to accumu-
late and regularly bursts forth
as glacial outburst floods. in
2011, such a flood caused the
river Múlakvísl to swell sudden-
ly, destroying a bridge and tear-
ing a hole in the ring road at
the height of the tourist season.
This summer, as in 2013, minor
glacial outburst floods occurred,
both in Múlakvísl and Jökulsá.
Toxic gases were released, includ-
ing hydrogen sulfide, and tour-
ists were warned against traveling
near Sólheimajökull.
according to the Glacier
research Society of iceland,
Sólheimajökull has retreated 887
meters (2,910 feet) since 1995.
The glacier retreated 951 meters
between 1930 and 1970, but then
grew 469 meters from 1970 to
1995. The glacier has since start-
ed to retreat again, creating a new
lagoon in the process. *
iCeLANd