On the slopes of Eyrarfjall, a dedicated group of workers is hard at work six days a week building new avalanche defenses to protect the village of Flateyri.
Following the avalanche that struck the harbor and residential area five years ago, a decision was made to strengthen the existing defenses. The current project involves constructing rows of ten-metre-high mounds on both the east and west sides of the existing barriers, as well as building a deflection wall by the harbor.
Project to be completed by 2028
Each mound contains about 1,700 cubic metres of material, sourced from nearby gravel pits. Concrete foundations are laid for each structure, and a wire framework is installed to keep everything securely in place.
Excavators shovel material onto the foundations, and smaller machines sitting atop the mounds spread it evenly. Workers then line the outer layers by hand, arranging stones and boulders to reinforce the surface. The work is expected to be completed by 2028.
Construction began last year, and eight mounds have already been finished. Most of the workers are from Lithuania, and they have set up comfortable work camps at the end of the barriers. The project manager says he is very pleased with their dedication and performance.
30 years since the tragedy
This year marks thirty years since the 1995 avalanche that devastated Flateyri and claimed twenty lives. The tragedy has been commemorated in recent days with extensive coverage and interviews with survivors in Morgunblaðið, and further stories are expected on mbl.is in the coming days.
Source: Mbl.is
