Increased Landslide And Rockfall Risk

Authorities are warning of continued landslide risks and the danger of rockfall across Iceland due to strong winds and heavy rainfall, reports RÚV.

The Icelandic Met Office states that the soil in many areas remains widely saturated with water and is unable to dry out between precipitation events. This raises the likelihood of landslides, especially in steep slopes.

The heaviest rainfall is expected in South and West Iceland, as well as the southern Westfjords region. The Icelandic Met Office says this increases the risk of unstable ground conditions in those areas.

“We’ve had a lot of wet weather over the past few days, so the soil is still saturated and unable to dry out between systems. So we can’t rule out movement in steep slopes. There is also a risk of rockfall at these wind speeds,” said Katrín Agla Tómasdóttir, a meteorologist at the Icelandic Met Office.

The Icelandic Met Office has received several reports of rockfall incidents in various parts of the country in recent days. Authorities are urging the public to exercise caution when traveling or spending time in areas with steep terrain.