Heavy rain raises flood and landslide risk in southeast Iceland

A yellow weather warning for heavy rain will cover southeast Iceland and the central highlands from 2 a.m. until 3 p.m. Wednesday, mbl.is reports. The rain could cause rivers and streams to rise, increasing the risk of flooding and landslides and disrupting travel.

A low-pressure system moving across southern Iceland brought strong winds and rain on Tuesday. Forecasters expect particularly heavy rain in southeast Iceland and the southern highlands from late Tuesday night through Wednesday.

Marcel de Vries, an on-duty meteorologist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, urged residents in southeast Iceland to clear drains so water can run off, and to take care. He said recent heavy rain has left rivers high and the ground saturated, making additional rainfall more likely to have an impact.

De Vries said rivers could be significantly swollen by Wednesday morning, making travel difficult for people in the area. He also warned of possible landslides and rivers overflowing their banks.