Road closure near Höfn: Floodwaters spread to multiple areas
The Ring Road near Jökulsá í Lón, just east of Höfn, was washed out this morning, leaving a 50-meter section destroyed. Photo/Gunnlaugur Rúnar
A section of the Ring Road near Jökulsá í Lóni, just east of Höfn, was washed out this morning due to heavy flooding, leaving about 50 meters of road destroyed.
Gunnlaugur Rúnar Pétursson, senior road supervisor for the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration in Höfn, says that due to ongoing heavy rainfall, it will not be possible to reopen the road today.
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“We can’t start any repairs until the water levels drop, and I don’t see that happening today,” Pétursson told mbl.is.
“We’re gathering contractors and equipment to bring to the site, but once we begin, I think it will take 15–20 hours to reopen the road. My best estimate is that the road won’t be open again until tomorrow.”
He added that the protective embankment along the road has broken in three different locations, complicating the repair work.
Flooding at other locations
Pétursson also reported that floodwaters are flowing over several other spots in the region, including the road near Svarthamar in Berufjörður. Inspection teams are currently assessing the situation at multiple sites.
On a more positive note, visibility has improved slightly, making it easier to evaluate conditions.
“It’s still raining, but most of the precipitation is falling in the mountains,”
Pétursson explained.
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