Visitors still walk to Látrabjarg as eclipse crowds near 12,000

Traffic has remained accident-free as nearly 12,000 people gather in Iceland’s Westfjords to watch the total solar eclipse, mbl.is reports. Hlynur Snorrason, chief superintendent of police in the Westfjords, said no accidents had been reported.

Látrabjarg and Bolafjall are considered the best places to watch the eclipse because it will last longest there. The road to Látrabjarg is closed to traffic, but visitors can still walk there from Breiðavík, where parking spaces remain available.

Weather conditions in the area are currently very good. A partial eclipse is expected to begin shortly and become total about an hour later.

As part of a risk assessment, particular attention was paid to the 45-kilometre Örlygshafnarvegur road leading to Látrabjarg. Authorities decided to designate only parking areas with toilet facilities and determined that the area could accommodate about 3,000 to 4,000 vehicles, Snorrason said.

Police are directing traffic on a one-way system into the area. The direction will be reversed after the eclipse to improve safety and allow emergency responders to move more easily.

General traffic to Bolafjall is also closed. Shuttle trips from the community centre in Bolungarvík are being offered to prevent traffic from moving in both directions. The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration is directing traffic through the tunnels under Breiðadalsheiði and Botnsheiði, where bottlenecks may develop.