What is Lakagígar?
Q: What is Lakagígar?
A: Lakagígar is a row of spectacular craters along twenty-five kilometres in the southern Icelandic Highlands.
Q: How did Lakagígar form?
A: Lakagígar was formed in the eruptions at Lakí in 1784.
Q: How long did the Lakagígar system erupt for?
A: The Lakagígar system erupted violently over eight months between June 1783 and February 1784.
Q: Where did the lava come from that formed Lakagígar?
A: The lava came from the Laki fissure and the adjoining volcano Grímsvötn.
Q: What were the consequences of the eruption at Lakagígar?
A: The eruption at Lakagígar poured out an estimated 42 billion tons or 14 km3 (3.4 cu mi) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous hydrofluoric acid and sulfur dioxide compounds. That contaminated the soil, leading to the death of over 50% of Iceland's livestock population, and the destruction of almost all crops. This led to a famine which killed about 25% of the island's human population. The lava flows also destroyed 20 villages.
Q: How many livestock were killed due to the eruption at Lakagígar?
A: Over 50% of Iceland's livestock population was killed due to the eruption at Lakagígar.
Q: How many villages were destroyed by the lava flows from Lakagígar?
A: The lava flows from Lakagígar destroyed 20 villages.
