PREPPERGIRL.UK: VOLCANIC ACTIVITY RISK IN THE U.K

Here is a risk some may well have overlooked which has been included into the U.K National Risk Register, although minimal the risk is real as seen from it's more recent effects from this although only causing financial loss and inconvenience it could transpire to greater levels as history has shown.

Dealing with Icelandic volcanic activity which is one likely source, here is a look at the 2010 event involving Eyjafjllajokull 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull which resulted in the cancellation of over 100,000 flights and affected some ten million travellers worldwide.

European airspace was closed as particulates within the said eruption plume were carried across much of Europe posing an aviation risk. Estimates of the resultant losses are around one billion pounds for the airlines and another eighty million pounds from the airports.

Eyjafjallajökull eruption, Iceland
Imagine this event magnified and lengthened as was the case back in 1783/4 resulting in not only mass crop failure but thousands of deaths in the U.K. One of the countries greatest natural disasters.

So what happened ? A volcano eruption, Larky in Iceland killing a quarter of the population of Iceland discharged a plume containing 120 million tons of sulphur dioxide, some of the plume was carried to Europe arriving in the U.K on 22nd June 1783. Thousands died due to the toxic fog, sulphur dioxide entering the lungs turning into sulphuric acid. Following what was thought to be an end of events the winter of 1783 was the worst in 250 years which in itself caused further deaths, long hard frosts and snow into April. The harsh weather was caused by sulphur dioxide reaching as far as the stratosphere whilst turning into sulphuric acid which resulted in sunlight being dispersed back from earth so significantly it lowered the temperature in turn changing the average weather pattern. Once the winter passed it was followed by heavy rains, hail and severe floods.

Mortality during the Laki eruption

If we consider such an event today it would be catastrophic, the population is much greater now and quite possibly other unknown conundrums of possibilities may come into play regarding the density of our towns and cities etc, even in the case of a longer continuum of pronounced ash major logistical and financial problems could indeed prove more than evident. The fact remains this has happened before and on the earth time scale relatively recently.

https://www.slideshare.net/VikitaRuRi/volcanoes-38259459

Sulfur Dioxide
Hazards Class 2.3 Toxic gases Breathing apparatus BS EN 137

Exposure limits (ppm)	Health Effects
1-5	Threshold for respiratory response in healthy individuals upon exercise or deep breathing
3-5	Gas is easily noticeable. Fall in lung function at rest and increased airway resistance
5	Increased airway resistance in healthy individuals
6	Immediate irritation of eyes, nose and throat
10	Worsening irritation of eyes, nose and throat
10-15	Threshold of toxicity for prolonged exposure
20+	Paralysis or death occurs after extended exposure
150	Maximum concentration that can be withstood for a few minutes by healthy individuals

International Volcanic Health Hazard Network

An estimate if a similar situation arose was 100,000 deaths in the U.K has been given although i feel that maybe a somewhat conservative estimate, whilst taking into account the population increase other factors to include such as driving conditions and accidents, people with lung and heart conditions live longer with modern medicine as opposed to those years where they would have died previously would increase figures as they would become affected more so if not first.
U.K MONITORING / Met Office

LINKS
Met Office. Volcanic activity monitoring
  Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre
     UK Hazards
Six volcanic survival tips
  Dust map
Volcanic Health Hazard Network
  U.K Volcanic activity threat