The Ring Road by Seljalandsá river near the river Markarfljót in south Iceland reopened last night after repairs had been completed. Swelling in Seljalandsá tore a hole in the road by the Seljalandsbrú bridge yesterday.
Seljalandsfoss on a calm day. Photo by Páll Kjartansson.
The serene Seljalandsfoss waterfall in Seljalandsá grew considerably during yesterday’s swelling. The river Svadbaelisá below the Eyjafjöll mountains flooded as well but retreated quickly, Morgunbladid reports.
“It worked out fine. In the evening of Christmas Day it snowed and then it rained. Therefore the river was quick to swell but also to retreat when it stopped raining,” said Sigurdur Thór Thórhallsson, farmer at Önundarhorn below Eyjafjöll.
While the Ring Road was being repaired, traffic was directed to an alternative road by the levees but for a period of time that road flooded too, visir.is reports.
Yesterday afternoon and evening the Sandskeid area east of Reykjavík looked like an ocean. The road flooded for some time but damages were next to none.
No further news of damages due to swelling of rivers has been received.
