2008 Earthquake

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Today, in the town of Hveragerdi, I got to experience the effects of the 6.6 Richter Scale earthquake that hit in 2008. It was a very eye-opening learning experience. The "museum" displayed photos of destruction, videos, and personal accounts. It also had an earthquake simulator for a small fee. The simulator simulated what it would feel like to be standing during a 6.6 Ricther Scale earthquake, just like the one that hit in 2008. It was terrifying to think what I felt in the simulator happened to so many of the people, their families, and homes in this small Icelandic town. Tragedy strikes all over the world in different forms, but tragedy in the form of natural disaster can be the most terrifying. Mother Nature is one powerful force. Today I saw the aftermath of that large earthquake, the effects on the town's people and structures. One effect on the structures is showcased in the museum. A crack in the floor, caused from the earthquake is formed between the North American and European tectonic plates, the Mid-Atlantic Divide. I was able to stand with one foot on the North American plate and the other above the European plate - two continents at one time.

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Photos

Cracked Ground
Here is the crack created in the ground from the separation of tetonic plates during the 2008 earthquake.