Katla

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Katla
Image caption
Elevation:	4,961 ft (1,512 m)
Coordinates:	63°38′0″N, 19°3′0″W
Location:	Iceland
Range:
Last eruption:	1918
Type:	Subglacial volcano

For the dragon in The Brothers Lionheart see Katla (dragon).

The volcano Katla (1450 m) has a reputation as one of the most dangerous volcanoes of Iceland. It is situated to the north of Vík í Mýrdal and to the east of the smaller glacier Eyjafjallajökull. Its peak reaches 1493 m in height and the extension of the glacier Mýrdalsjökull which lies over it reaches 595 km².

The crater of the volcano has a diameter of 10 km and the volcano normally erupts every 40 - 80 years. The last major eruption occurred in 1918, although there was a small one eruption in 1955,. Since 930, 16 eruptions have been documented. The Laki craters and the Eldgjá are part of the same volcanic system, so it can be regarded as one of the most powerful in the world.

Before the hringvegur (Iceland's road no.1) was constructed, people feared traversing the plains in front of the volcano because of the often occurring glacier runs and the deep river crossings. Especially dangerous was the glacier run which after the eruption of 1918. Katla has been showing signs of unrest recently and geologists have concerns that it might erupt in the near future. At the peak of the 1755 eruption the flood discharge has been estimated between 200,000-400,000m³/s, for comparison the combined average discharge of the Amazon, Mississippi, Nile, and Yangtze rivers is about 290,000m³/s