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EldfellEldfell is an active volcano on the Icelandic island Heimaey. Its name means Fire Mountain. Eldfell began erupting in 1973, causing a major crisis for the island of Heimaey and nearly causing its permanent evacuation. Lava and ash covered almost the whole of the island and a lava flow virtually closed off the harbour, the island's main income source via its fishing fleet. On the 23rd of January, 1973, at around one in the morning a long fissure opened on the east side of Heimaey. The eruption came as a surprise to scientists and inhabitants of the island. Some had only been wondering why the earth had been growing too hot to plant potatoes. At around two o'clock in the morning, one woman looking out of her window saw a column of fire very near to the town. High lava fountains and heavy ash fall threatened the town of Heimaey, but by great good fortune almost the entire fishing fleet was in dock because of a storm the day before. During the night, all 5000 inhabitants of the island were evacuated to the mainland. The eruption lasted for five months. During that time, half of the buildings were crushed and the island grew a great deal. Only one fatality could be directly or indirectly attributed to the eruption, and that was the death of a man who had broken into the chemist's store to acquire drugs and was suffocated by toxic fumes. A notable event during the eruption was the halting of a lava stream endangering the fishing harbour. If the harbour had been closed, the fishing industry which employs most people on the island would have been devastated. For several weeks, fire-boats sprayed water on the advancing flow in an attempt to slow its progress, and eventually it stopped just a few tens of metres short of blocking the harbour entirely. The harbour was actually improved by the new lava flow, and the fishing industry on Heimaey accounts for 25% of Iceland's fish exports. Next to Eldfell is the inactive volcano Helgafell. See also External links
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