Múlakvísl
{{short description|River in Iceland}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Múlakvísl
| image = Landskap pa Sydisland. Utsikt till berget Hjorleifshofdi och havet.jpg
| image_size = 280px
| image_caption = A view of the Múlakvísl, looking towards Hjörleifshöfði in the background and the Atlantic Ocean
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = Iceland
| subdivision_type2 = Region
| subdivision_name2 = Southern Region
| source1_location = Mýrdalsjökull
| source1_coordinates= {{coord|63.6306|-19.8834}}
| mouth_location = Between Vík í Mýrdal and Mýrdalssandur
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|63.4|-18.8834|display=inline,title}}
| river_system = Múlakvísl
}}
The Múlakvísl ({{IPA|is|ˈmuːlaˌkʰvistl̥|audio=Múlakvísl pronunciation.ogg}}) is a river in the south of Iceland on the western side of Mýrdalssandur.
Glacier flow
The river has a glacier flow which draws its water from the Mýrdalsjökull, mainly through the glacier tongue Kötlujökull. The river's floods are usually of gray-brown color, since it carries much sediment with it.{{cite book|title=Íslandshandbókin. Náttúra, saga og sérkenni|language=Icelandic|trans-title=Iceland Handbook. Nature, history and characteristics|volume=2|first1=Hg. T.|last1=Einarsson|first2=H.|last2=Magnússon|publisher=Örn og Örlygur|location=Reykjavík|year=1989|page=709}}
At Selfjall, about {{convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of the village Vík í Mýrdal, the Ring Road goes across a bridge over the Múlakvísl.
Jökulhlaups
As increasing water levels of this river are an important indicator of Katla's upcoming volcanic eruptions, it is closely monitored.
=1955=
A predecessor of the present bridge was demolished in 1955, during a jökulhlaup with 2,500 m3/s of water. A fissure formed on Katla in 1918 in the caldera of the volcano, and a kettle had formed upon the glacier. This showed volcanic activities under the glacier, which in turn initiated the jökulhlaup. However, there was no real outbreak in 1955.
=July 2011=
On 9 July 2011, another jökulhlaup occurred, which was already anticipated hours and days before because of a series of quakes at up to {{convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} depth in the Katla region.{{cite web|url=http://www.vedur.is/um-vi/frettir/bigimg/2217?ListID=0|title=May 2011|work=Veðurstofa Íslands|language=Icelandic|accessdate=24 December 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/viku/sidasta/|title=Jarðskjálftar 20110704 - 20110710, vika 27|language=Icelandic|work=Veðurstofa Íslands |accessdate=24 December 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717110134/http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/viku/sidasta/|archivedate=17 July 2011|url-status=live}} There was a small volcanic eruption under the glacier similar to 1955.{{cite web|url=http://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=372030&vtab=Bulletin|title=Bulletin Reports - Index|work=Smithsonian Institution|accessdate=24 December 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713084549/http://www.volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=372030&vtab=Bulletin|archivedate=13 July 2014|url-status=live}} A jökulhlaup again destroyed the Ring Road bridge of the Múlakvísl, which was only 20 years old. A water level early warning system prompted the closing of the bridge and surrounding area, and no one was harmed.{{cite news|url=http://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2011/07/09/gos_hugsanlega_hafid/|title=Gos hugsanlega hafið|language=Icelandic|work=mbl.is|date=9 July 2011|accessdate=24 December 2016}} By 11 July 2011, the tremor under Katla had calmed down again. On 15 July 2011, 1,500 people were transported via the Múlakvísl by means of special vehicles.{{cite web|url=http://www.ruv.is/frett/bruin-yfir-mulakvisl-opnud-a-morgun|title=Brúin yfir Múlakvísl opnuð á morgun|language=Icelandic|work=RÚV|date=15 July 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717093622/http://www.ruv.is/frett/bruin-yfir-mulakvisl-opnud-a-morgun|archivedate=17 July 2011}} On 16 July, a temporary bridge was put into operation on the river.{{cite news|url=http://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2011/07/16/fylktu_lidi_yfir_bru/|title=Fylktu liði yfir brú|language=Icelandic|work=mbl.is|date=16 July 2011|accessdate=24 December 2016}}
See also
References
{{Commons category|Múlakvísl}}
{{reflist}}