Bolungarvík inhabitants, who had to evacuate their homes due to avalanche risk earlier this week, were allowed to return home today. The snowstorm calmed down last night and after conditions were reassessed, evacuation was no longer considered necessary.
However, conditions are still unstable and close attention will be paid to snow layers in mountains overlooking inhabited areas in the West Fjords, ruv.is reports.
Five houses in Bolungarvík, Dýrafjördur and Skutulsfjördur were evacuated yesterday, in addition to the houses evacuated on Monday, because of continued avalanche risk. Three work places were evacuated in Ísafjördur, schools were closed and traffic limited, Morgunbladid reports.
The families who were made to leave their homes in Bolungarvík on Monday were not allowed to return yesterday. An avalanche fell near the horse stables in Bolungarvík, but no other avalanches were reported close to inhabited areas.
The town saw such a fierce snowstorm yesterday that one could hardly see the next house. In Ísafjördur 20 to 30 search and rescue team members were on call.
“We were mainly pulling cars out of snowdrifts and helping hospital staff get to their posts,” said Pálmi Árnason, chairman of Björgunarfélag Ísafjardar, the local search and rescue service.
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