The Minister of Justice has approved proposals to raise the defensive embankments north of Grindavík. The cost of increasing their height by two to three metres along a 450-metre stretch is estimated at ISK 80–120 million.
The minister approved the National Commissioner of the Police’s proposal to add to the barriers north of Grindavík. The embankments will be raised by two to three metres over about 450 metres to enhance the town’s protection against potential lava flow.
Work on the project has already begun, with the cost estimated at ISK 80–120 million.
“We have seen that the defensive embankments have performed well. With this decision we ensure continued protection and safety in the area,” Minister of Justice Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir is quoted as saying in a government statement.
News reports on Monday noted that the team of engineers designing the embankments had sent the ministry a memo in the spring recommending the increase, but no response had yet been received. In its submission to the ministry, the Municipality of Grindavík stated that the project is highly urgent and should begin as soon as possible.
Source: Ruv.is
