Ragnar Axelsson The following images were captured last year.  They are from two separate volcanic eruptions; one from Eyjafjallajökull glacier and the volcano that lies beneath and the other from Grímsvötn volcano. Both erupted in 2011.  The Grímsvötn eruption was much bigger than that of Eyjafjallajökull that choked the world.   It had a huge effect on flights in Europe and also on the daily life of farmers living under the ash cloud.     I both flew and drove under the ash cloud and approached the crater surrounded by scientists and thunder and lightening storms.   Iceland Two eruptions that choked the world by Ragnar Axelsson Lightning dancing on Vatnajökull Glacier when the eruption started . At the storm’s most violent point, there were around 2000 lightning strikes per hour.  The lightening made flying close to the crater difficult as the storm spread the ash cloud in all directions. A helicopter flying close to the Eyjafjallajökull crater. The erupting crater threw out rocks the size of cars. Ash spread over the mountains and covered everything.  Farms that where under the ash cloud were plunged from daylight into total darkness. Scientists walking to the crater of Eyjafjallajökull to collect samples.  It was a dangerous walk as lightning struck the ground constantly and it rained ash and chunks of stone . Scientist, Haraldur Sigurdsson, on the crater’s edge taking samples.  A few seconds later lightening hit the spot where he had been standing. Haraldur Sigurdsson with the eruption, lightening and the ash cloud in the background. A farmer in his car driving around to check and care for his sheep and to clean the ash off his farm buildings. A church covered with ash from volcano Eyjafjallajökull behind it. Sheep on a farm with the eruption in the background. Farmer Sverrir in the back yard of his farm in Hólmur. When driving on the glacier it got dark in few moments. Farmer Sverrir in Hólmur checking on his cars in front of his farmhouse.  It was like a fog inside the house and outside there was total silence and darkness caused by the volcano. A car in a car park under the ash cloud.  This picture was taken at two o clock in the afternoon. A little lamb.  When the wind changed the farmers encountered problems.  They could hear their lambs crying for help but there was no way of finding them in the total darkness. A farmer finding one of his dead lambs in the ash . The crater. House under the ash cloud. Image taken from the window of a car travelling under the ash cloud. MARCH 2012 BACK ISSUE Back to current issue