Residents affected by nornahár phenomenon following volcanic eruption in Reykjanesbær

In Reykjanesbær, a phenomenon known as “nornahár,” or “witch hair,” created discomfort for residents and visitors yesterday. This occurs when extremely thin glass-like fibers are produced during volcanic eruptions and can be dispersed by the wind. The fibers reportedly affected the municipal pool, Vatnaveröld, and staff had to clean them up as some guests sustained minor injuries.

Hafsteinn Ingibergsson, the sports facility manager for Reykjanesbær, described the scene upon staff arrival, noting that the fibers covered the entire outdoor area and were present in the pools. They were blown in with strong winds from a volcanic eruption near Stóra-Skógfell.

Staff promptly initiated a thorough cleaning on Tuesday morning, sweeping up the fibers and clearing the filters that had been clogged. Although the fibers tend to soften when wet, some guests still managed to get pricked by them later in the day.

Hafsteinn expressed concern over the unexpected appearance of nornahár, stating that such occurrences had not been witnessed in recent eruptions in the Reykjanes peninsula. He emphasized the need for preventative measures should this situation arise again.

Nature expert Minney Sigurðardóttir from the Icelandic Meteorological Office noted the significant height of the ash plume from the eruption, explaining why the fibers drifted so far. There are also reports of children in the area getting pricked by the fibers while playing on trampolines.