Ring road closed in Iceland due to glacial outburst flood from Mýrdalsjökull

The Ring Road in Iceland is currently closed between Vík and Kirkjubæjarklaustur due to a glacial outburst flood from Mýrdalsjökull. The closure has resulted from the destruction of the road east of the bridge over the Skálm River. Repair work is underway, and authorities expect to provide further updates by midday today.

Recent measurements from the Icelandic Meteorological Office indicate a significant decrease in the flow of the Skálm River. It is estimated that it may take several days for the river’s flow to return to normal levels given the time of year. There are no indications that the flood is linked to volcanic activity beneath the glacier.

Additionally, there has been some seismic activity reported at Goðabunga on Mýrdalsjökull since around 6 a.m. this morning. Elísabet Pálmadóttir, a natural hazard specialist, noted that it is not unusual for earthquakes to occur in the glacier following an outburst like the one experienced yesterday. Initial measurements suggest that the largest quakes are around a magnitude of three, but there are currently no signs of volcanic unrest. Pálmadóttir stated that the recent seismic activity is consistent with patterns observed in the past weeks and is not unexpected.