Authorities have decided to keep the trail to the Meradalir eruption closed today due to bad weather, reports Vísir.
The trail was closed Sunday because of poor weather conditions and Monday so crews could improve the path’s accessibility, according to reports. The trail was set to reopen this morning, but will remain closed because the Icelandic Meteorological Office has issued a yellow weather warning for South Iceland. Police in Suðurnes will reevaluate the situation at a meeting tomorrow morning and decide whether the trail is safe to reopen.
Despite the eruption trail being closed, search and rescue crews had to evacuate about 10 tourists yesterday afternoon, according to Vísir. The people got lost in the fog and could not find their way, so a Coast Guard helicopter was called out to look for them. However, the weather made an aerial search difficult. The people were eventually located and rescuers continued to search in case there were other people who ignored the trail closure.
“You can see it on the webcam or in the news last night that there is no joy in walking for two hours to the eruption in this weather. You don’t see anything. Although the eruption is magnificent, this walk is not worth it in this weather,” Hjördís Guðmundsdóttir, Civil Defense information representative, told Fréttablaðið.
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