Travelers in south Iceland continue to be transported across the river Múlakvísl in a specially-equipped bus while vehicles were placed on trucks. The bridge across the river was destroyed in a glacial flood from Mýrdalsjökull on Friday night, damaging the Ring Road.
From Múlakvísl. Copyright: ICE-SAR.
Between noon and 11 pm last night, 700 passengers and 300 vehicles were transported safely across the river with the aid of a single bus and four trucks, Morgunbladid reports.
Yesterday, a particularly powerful bus had been scheduled to start transporting passengers at 9 am but the Icelandic Road Administration was unable to reach an agreement in time; early arrivals had to wait until noon for another bus from the bus company Saemundur in Borgarnes to arrive.
The police department in Hvolsvöllur was in charge of all operations in cooperation with ICE-SAR rescue units and the Icelandic Road Administration.
“All went well and no hesitation or panicking occurred. People were calm and very patient. We managed to transport passengers in an orderly manner and in accordance to the queue that began forming yesterday morning; toward the end of the day traffic had slowed down,” said police officer Thorsteinn M. Kristinsson.
Travelers sought shelter in sheds placed in the area while it rained in the afternoon but restroom facilities were lacking well into the afternoon on both sides of the river. Transportation commenced again at 7 am this morning and will continue until 11 pm tonight.
The construction crew will continue to work in shifts day and night until the temporary bridge is ready for traffic.
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