Pictures of Damage Done by Landslides

Reporters, accompanied by police, were given permission to enter the town of Seyðisfjörður, the East Fjords, yesterday afternoon to take pictures of the damage in town, following a series of landslides in recent days.

The town was evacuated Friday, after a landslide severely damaged at least ten homes. Aside from reporters, no one but first responders, meteorologists and an electrical repair team has been allowed to enter the town since Friday night.

The residents of Seyðisfjörður, close to 700 people, are staying with friends and family or at hotels in nearby communities.

Kristín Björg Ólafsdóttir, climate specialist at the Icelandic Met Office, tells mbl.is the precipitation in Seyðisfjörður December 14-18 is the most recorded during a five-day period in Iceland, ever. It amounts to 570 mm (22.44 in). By comparison, average annual precipitation in Reykjavík is 860 mm (33.86 in).

There is very little rain in the forecast for the coming days.