Inhabitants of Reykjavík suburbs Grafarvogur and Grafarholt, as well as the neighboring communities Mosfellsbær and Kjalarnes, were subject to a blackout last night and this morning as a consequence of the storm that hit Iceland last weekend.

Grafarholt. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.

Salt from seawater whirled up by the storm became glued to the electricity distribution system control center of Reykjavík Energy (OR) by Korpa, where the power was cut around 3:30 am, ruv.is reports.

“There was salt on the system and then it started to rain which caused outflow and consequently the power was cut,” explained director of OR’s control center Benedikt Einarsson. The same problem also caused power cuts elsewhere.

Shortly before 8 am this morning, large parts of the aforementioned districts were still without electricity. Authorities in Mosfellsbær announced that classes in three local schools would not start until the power had been restored.

In South Iceland, the mobile phone connection was cut for two hours during the storm on Friday, ruv.is reports.

Hörður Daði Björgvinsson, chairman of the search and rescue squad Kyndill in Kirkjubæjarklaustur said that this is very serious given that the affected area is the one that has to be evacuated in case of a Katla volcanic eruption and glacier outburst in Mýrdalsjökull.

ESA