Another glacial flood underway in Iceland, little danger to travellers

Another flood is taking place at South Iceland’s Skafta river, this time from the larger eastern crater under the Vatnajokull glacier.

The Icelandic Roads Administration is advising travellers in the area to drive cautiously.

The flood is thought to have begun at around 01.00 last night and it will reach inhabited areas later today. No danger to houses or infrastructure is predicted; but hydrogen sulphide pollution near the glacier is likely for a time.

Today’s flood is much bigger than last weekend’s and it is considered likely that the water will flood over roads at Holaskjoli and Skaftardalur.

Floods of this nature occur roughly every two years and are caused by geothermal heat which melts the glacier ice from beneath in craters and then releases in large torrents.

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Source: IceNews, Daily news from Iceland