The Eldfell eruption, Iceland, 1973: using “Small Stories” to investigate the human evacuation from Heimaey

Research into Eldfell 1973 typically favour scientific studies, with human aspects of the eruption overlooked. The first night, and the subsequent evacuation to the mainland are particularly neglected, their details often incorporated into the larger overall story of the eruption. This research uses a “Small Stories” narrative approach to reconstruct the events of the first night of the Eldfell eruption. Archived documents, written personal accounts and interviews highlight the communication and planning involved in the evacuation, the lived experiences of individuals during the event. Understanding the community response to the eruption supports present and future generations of islanders, scientists, and emergency responders to understand and prepare the community for future eruptions on the island and further afield. We answer the call to better utilise historical documents in volcanological studies but also pose our own call to action that hazard scientists establish and maintain long-term meaningful relationships with at risk communities, even during times of quiescence.