A glacial outburst flood from Hafrafellslón lagoon has subsided, with water levels in the Hvítá river now back to pre-flood conditions, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
RÚV reports that the flood began on Friday when meltwater from the retreating Langjökull glacier flowed into Svartá river, then later into the Hvítá. At its peak on Sunday night, the discharge reached 260 cubic metres per second, but dropped rapidly and has now fallen to around 80 cubic metres per second.
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Unlike in the 2020 flood, Hvítá did not overflow its banks, and no property damage has been reported. Experts say Hafrafellslón is a product of climate change: the lagoon has been forming since the early 2000s as Langjökull’s ice thins by an average of three metres per year.
Bergur Einarsson, director of water research at the Met Office, said the event underlines the importance of monitoring Iceland’s marginal glacial reservoirs, where new lakes are forming and older ones are destabilising. Natural disaster expert, Sigríður Magnea Óskarsdóttir, also urged for continued monitoring.
