In Pictures: Severe Road Damage In Grindavík Following Earthquakes

As the residents of Grindavík have been allowed to go into town on Monday, November 13, to pick up essentials and valuables, new photos from the town have been published by our colleagues from RÚV.

Follow the Grapevine’s coverage of the seismic and volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula

Significant damage can be seen throughout Grindavík following the tremors that have struck the town due to the series of earthquake, with the biggest ones hitting on Friday, November 10. Cracks run through a large part of the town, including the road by the local sports centre. Additionally, there is a hot water trench that has been torn apart with a sinkhole that’s up to one meter deep.

by RÚV – Ragnar Visage

Nesvegur, the road that connects Grindavík and Reykjanesbær, has been used by emergency responders in recent days despite the damage, but is completely impassable right now. According to a statement by The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration, “Rescue squads and responders have been given an exception to use Nesvegur and have used it for their work. Now it’s clear that it won’t work until the road has been repaired. It’s in a very bad condition and it is clear that the repair would be quite extensive.”

Photos of damage in Grindavík:

Grapevine’s Jón Trausti Sigurðarson went to the outskirts of Grindavík on Nov. 12 to speak with a police officer and two Search and Rescue volunteers about the operation to let residents go back to their homes for short bursts to collect necessary belongings. Watch our latest video to learn more.