A flock of lambs is feared to have drowned in Fljótsdalur valley in East Iceland. ICE-SAR units have been called out to help farmers save their sheep as Jökulsá í Fljótsdal, one of the rivers which carry glacial melt water from northern Vatnajökull, flooded following yesterday's and today's torrential rain in East and South East Iceland.
Read More: Travel alert: Swelling rivers in E. Iceland due to heavy rain. Ring Road re-opened in Berufjörður
Friðrik Ingi Ingólfsson, a farmer at Valþjófsstaður 2 in Fljótsdalur valley told the local news site Austurfrétt that he has spent the morning trying to rescue sheep from flooded fields. ICE-SAR units from East Iceland arrived at noon to assist him in helping the sheep to safety. A total of 50-60 sheep have been saved, but Friðrik fears that many more have drowned.
There should have been at least 200 lambs in these fields, but we have only found a handful. However, we haven't checked everywhere, and some sheep seem to have made it to safety on higher ground. We haven't counted them.
Friðrik told Austurfrétt that he was by no means the only farmer who could have lost sheep in the flood. The other farmers in Fljótsdalur have been busy rescuing sheep all morning. The water volume has more than doubled since yesterday evening, rising by as much as 1.5 meters (5 ft). The valley looks more like a fjord, Friðrik, told Austurfrétt.
All rivers in East and South East Iceland have swollen, flooding fields and roads. The local newspaper Morgunblaðið reports that in addition to helping farmers in Fljótsdalur ICE-SAR in East Iceland has also been busy helping farmers in Lón district, north of the village Höfn íin Hornafjörður fjord in South East Iceland, where rivers have flooded fields.
A flock of lambs is feared to have drowned in Fljótsdalur valley in East Iceland. ICE-SAR units have been called out to help farmers save their sheep as Jökulsá í Fljótsdal, one of the rivers which carry glacial melt water from northern Vatnajökull, flooded following yesterday's and today's torrential rain in East and South East Iceland.
Read More: Travel alert: Swelling rivers in E. Iceland due to heavy rain. Ring Road re-opened in Berufjörður
Friðrik Ingi Ingólfsson, a farmer at Valþjófsstaður 2 in Fljótsdalur valley told the local news site Austurfrétt that he has spent the morning trying to rescue sheep from flooded fields. ICE-SAR units from East Iceland arrived at noon to assist him in helping the sheep to safety. A total of 50-60 sheep have been saved, but Friðrik fears that many more have drowned.
There should have been at least 200 lambs in these fields, but we have only found a handful. However, we haven't checked everywhere, and some sheep seem to have made it to safety on higher ground. We haven't counted them.
Friðrik told Austurfrétt that he was by no means the only farmer who could have lost sheep in the flood. The other farmers in Fljótsdalur have been busy rescuing sheep all morning. The water volume has more than doubled since yesterday evening, rising by as much as 1.5 meters (5 ft). The valley looks more like a fjord, Friðrik, told Austurfrétt.
All rivers in East and South East Iceland have swollen, flooding fields and roads. The local newspaper Morgunblaðið reports that in addition to helping farmers in Fljótsdalur ICE-SAR in East Iceland has also been busy helping farmers in Lón district, north of the village Höfn íin Hornafjörður fjord in South East Iceland, where rivers have flooded fields.
