Civil defense authorities have decided to allow lava to flow from Geldingadalur over the road, Suðurstrandarvegur. Previous attempts have been made to protect the road, with lava now expected to reach it within the next few weeks, reports Vísir.
South coast road 427 expected to face lava flow
Further defense structures had been in the making prior to this week. The assistant chief of police at the civil defense, Rögnvaldur Ólafsson, explained that those plans have now been abandoned. The lava is now estimated to flow over the road, Suðurstrandarvegur, and towards the ocean in one to three weeks.
Infrastructure to be affected
Concerns have been raised regarding the fiber optic cable that is buried in the area. Rögnvaldur stated “We do not know 100 percent what effect this will have on the fiber optic cable that is in the area. It has been moved a little and put deeper, but whether that will be enough remains to be seen.”
Furthermore, Rögnvaldur explains “So far we have been drawing a line in the sand and then we go to that line and then a new line is drawn, but now we are just looking at this in a larger context and what structures and infrastructure in the area are more important and focus on them instead.”
Areas of concern surrounding Geldingadalur
The civil defense also intends to focus on the town of Grindavíkurbær along with the roads Grindavíkurvegur, Reykjanesbraut, and Svartsengi. The lava is now much thinner compared to the beginning of the eruption and is therefore moving much faster. However, he believes that it is unlikely for the lava to reach these areas but that “It is possible and can be seen theoretically and scientifically, so we have to prepare for that possibility.”
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