Basements Flood, Storm Drains Overflow In Reykjavík Area

Several days of unusually high rainfall has started to have a significant effect on the capital area.

Vísir reports that firefighters were called out four times last evening to deal with flooding basements in and around Reykjavík. As reported, an unusually high volume of rainfall has been pummeling Iceland since last Tuesday, prompting the Icelandic Met Office to advise people to avoid driving through some areas of south Iceland.

Some older houses, which may have faulty or clogged draining, are the most likely to get flooded basements when the rainfall is this heavy, but firefighters told reporters they are equipped with high-power wet-vacs to help drain these homes as quickly as possible.

City workers have also been working continuously to help clear out storm drains, although some drains are apparently still clogging up. The following video, posted by Guðmann Þór Bjargmundsson, gives a brief look at the situation in some parts of the city:

Skies are expected to clear up, or to at least stop dropping so much water on us, by tomorrow.