Defense walls raised by 3 to 4 meters

The work of raising the defense walls was ongoing throughout …

The work of raising the defense walls was ongoing throughout the night and will continue for the next few days. mbl.is/Hákon

The raising of the defense walls from the place where the Blue Lagoon parking lot used to be to the Njarðvíkur pipeline is well underway and was ongoing throughout the night. It is expected that two defense walls will be raised by 3-4 meters.

Arnar Smári Þorvarðarson, a construction technician at Verkís, says in an interview with mbl.is that work is being done in two areas.

"On the one hand, from the hot water pipeline to the west and on the other hand, from where the Blue Lagoon parking lot used to be and in the opposite direction, in a northeasterly direction."

Lava has not flowed over the walls

It was reported yesterday that the lava field had risen and reached the height of the defense walls in some areas and Þorvarðarson confirms this.

"Yes, it has reached the height of the defense walls here in this section. Right from where the Blue Lagoon parking lot used to be and to the hot water pipeline.”

However, he notes that although the tops of the lava fields have risen above the defense walls in many places, no lava has started to flow over the defense walls.

“It’s just creeping along here. It’s become very slow now, as the eruption sites have slowed down.”

25 to 30 workers on the project

When asked, he said that about 25-30 workers have been working on the project throughout the night and that the work will continue the next few days.

“It’s actually this work that will continue for the next few days. Raising this and maybe restoring some routes around the area where we need to get around.

Then a new situation will be examined.”

How much is the defense walls expected to be raised?

"It's about three to four meters."

Work is going well

When asked if the lava field has reached the height of the defense walls in other areas that would also need to be examined, he says that it has not.

"No, this is the only place where the lava has reached the top of the defense walls. It's here, what are called lines L3 and L4. Elsewhere the lava has not reached that high."

He does say, however, that lava is also flowing to the north, which has threatened high-voltage towers.

"But I don't know what the situation is there now. As far as I know, it's the same situation."

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