<P> The system erupted violently over an eight - month period between June 1783 and February 1784 from the Laki fissure and the adjoining volcano Grímsvötn , pouring out an estimated 42 billion tons 14 km ( 3.4 cu mi ) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous hydrofluoric acid and sulfur dioxide compounds that contaminated the soil , leading to the death of over 50 % of Iceland 's livestock population , and the destruction of the vast majority of all crops . This led to a famine which then killed approximately 25 % of the island 's human population . The lava flows also destroyed 20 villages . </P>
<P> The system erupted violently over an eight - month period between June 1783 and February 1784 from the Laki fissure and the adjoining volcano Grímsvötn , pouring out an estimated 42 billion tons 14 km ( 3.4 cu mi ) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous hydrofluoric acid and sulfur dioxide compounds that contaminated the soil , leading to the death of over 50 % of Iceland 's livestock population , and the destruction of the vast majority of all crops . This led to a famine which then killed approximately 25 % of the island 's human population . The lava flows also destroyed 20 villages . </P>
when was the volcanic eruption that killed a quarter of the population of iceland
when was the volcanic eruption that killed a quarter of the population of iceland
an eight - month period between June 1783 and February 1784
an eight - month period between June 1783 and February 1784