Iceland: Houses Evacuated in Seyðisfjörður

NordenBladet – About 100 residents of 46 houses in Seyðisfjörður, the East Fjords, had to evacuate their homes last night, due to a risk of landslides, mbl.is reports. As forecast, there was considerable rain overnight in the town – up to 45 mm, according to the Icelandic Met Office.

“We expect the rain to cease by mid-morning,” states Tómas Jóhannesson, avalanche specialist at the Icelandic Met Office, “and the evacuation order will be reassessed in the afternoon.”

The evacuation was ordered as a precautionaly measure, since the stability of the slopes of Botnabrún mountain is unknown following the landslide that occurred there in December of last year and destroyed a number of buildings.  It is not know how the strata will react to heavy precipitation.

A total of 35 spots in the slope are being monitored with equipment from the Icelandic Met Office.

This morning, Tómas had not yet received any news of landslides.

Yesterday, the national police commissioner, in consultation with the Icelandic Met Office and the East Iceland police chief, declared an alert phase in the area, due to the risk of landslides.