To add a note that while 4000 people is a small town almost anywhere, it is over 1% of Iceland's population. So the impact on the country is non negligible. My 2c.
Keflavík is obviously the only major international airport in Iceland though.
A while back I remember hearing a proposal about expanding the airport in Egilsstaðir to be capable of replacing Keflavík if (when?) it is disrupted by lava flow. I think it proved too expensive for much action to be taken though. It would be interesting logistically to see what would happen if Keflavík was knocked out of service.
I wonder how many airports in the world are at such significant risk of "lava flow" and other catastrophic natural disasters.
I actually see Tampa International this way. Its literally on the coast, and just barely missed near two near Cat-5 hurricanes in two years. And that risk is not shrinking.
> I wonder how many airports in the world are at such significant risk of "lava flow" and other catastrophic natural disasters
It looks like Kilauea lava flows in the 1880s came within a mile or two of the site of Hilo International Airport. Lava flows earlier this year were heading in that direction.
It also appears as though the airport was hit by tsunamis in the 1950s and 1960s.
Closer to 9 miles (15km). That's plenty (even though it doesn't sound like much), considering what kind of eruption this would be and how the fault lines lie.
Experts aren't worried about the airport. The main concern (besides the town) is the Svartsengi geothermal plant. If that is destroyed you will have 30.000 people without heating.
