LEO Network
21 August 2019

Land Rising Due to Melting Glaciers

The land around Hafn in Hornafjordur, Iceland is rising at a rate of one centimetre per year due to the melting of nearby glaciers, particularly Vatnajokull, the country's largest glacier. This is a result of the earth's crust rising as the glaciers lose weight. The municipality of Hafn has invested in construction projects to mitigate the effects of the land-rise, which could make the fjord impassable for ships. In contrast, the land in South-West Iceland is sinking due to a lack of volcanic activity in the area. The size of the Greenland glacier also affects Iceland, as its melting causes the land to sink under the South-West part of the country. Projections indicate that all of Iceland's glaciers will have disappeared in 200 years due to global warming.


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Höfn, East, Iceland


Ice / Snow Change
Extreme Temperature