Gale-force winds and flooding kept firefighters, search and rescue teams, and other response crews busy across the Reykjavík capital area and Southwest Iceland last night. The storm swept a sports dome out to sea, ripped a bus shelter from its foundation, and caused flooding and transport trouble throughout the region. Weather has calmed slightly, though yellow and orange weather alerts remain in effect until this afternoon.
Capital area firefighters responded to 25 calls due to weather and flooding last night, in addition to one fire and 30 medical transports, RÚV reports. One of the projects was securing a bus shelter that had ripped from its foundation in the Gravarvogur neighbourhood so that it would not be carried away by wind. The same was not possible for Hamarshöllin sports dome in Hveragerði, South Iceland, which was blown out to sea in the storm. Rain, snow, and meltwater caused flooding across the region, and firefighting crews spent much of the night pumping water from homes.
Rescue crews transported around 100 people that had gotten stuck in their cars on Þrengslavegur road (Route 39) to an emergency response centre in Þorlákshöfn, Southwest Iceland. Their cars were left behind, to be transported once weather conditions improved. The response centre was set up by the Red Cross, which also assisted residents of Patreksfjörður, in the Westfjords, last night, who had to be evacuated from their homes due to the risk of avalanches. Twenty-eight were required to leave their homes in the town: 18 found accommodation with friends and family, while the remaining 10 were put up in a hotel.
