Iceland Volcanic Eruption Triggers Possible Health Threats

Smoke plumes and steam hang over the sub-glacial volcano of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier, which has erupted for the second time in less than a month on 15th of April, melting ice layers and forcing hundreds of people to escape rising floodwaters. Innumerable flights to various countries in Europe are being canceled every other day, as volcanic ash drifting across wide region of the Atlantic are causing major disruption to the air traffic across northern Europe. But this problem aside, there is now a more grave issue that is hovering around.

Health experts and scientists are fearing potential health threats from the flying ash particles and smoke that are coming out of the sub-glacial volcano. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently issued a warning saying, the Europeans should stay indoors as and when the ash from Iceland's volcano starts settling. Till now, small amounts of the erupted debris have been found in various parts of Iceland, Scotland and Norway.

WHO spokesman Daniel Epstein was quoted saying that microscopic ash is potentially dangerous for humans when it starts to reach the Earth. "These particles when inhaled can reach the peripheral regions of ... the lungs and can cause problems - especially for people with asthma or respiratory problems." Accordingly he suggested the Europeans to consider wearing a mask, if they needed to go out.

However, experts are divided on the issue. A section of environmentalists opined that the suggestion to wear masks or to stay indoors in order to avoid volcanic ash was "over the top" and "a bit hysterical" too. They are of the view that volcanic ash is much less harmful than tobacco smoke or pollution, and when falls from a great distance, its health effects become minimal.

Dr. Stephen Spiro, a professor of respiratory medicine and deputy chair of the British Lung Foundation, shared the same viewpoint. He said the further the volcanic ash particles travel, the more diluted and less dangerous they become.

This somewhat lessens the worry of the European nationals regrading the volcanic ash health effects; but nevertheless, the threats are anyhow there for those living in the vicinity of Iceland volcano. They are likely to be affected rather badly but this volcanic fly ash giving rising to large scale respiratory problem.