Holiday-makers flee midge invasion

Residents of summer houses around Hvalfjörður fjord in south-western Iceland had to flee their paradise this weekend as the area was hit by a plague of biting midges.

Biting midges suck the blood of other animals, from insects to humans, and attacks in Iceland are unheard-of.

Most of those who were attacked over the weekend ended up in bad shape. Humans often do not feel the tiny pain of the initial bite but are then affected by a sudden reddening, itching and swelling of the skin.

The attack appears to have begun on Friday and many summer-house dwellers were forced to flee. Further studies need to conducted to determine exactly what species was involved and whether this is a new species to Iceland.