The Ring Road over Holtavörðuheiði heath, which separates North and West Iceland, is impassable and has been closed to all traffic. ICE-SAR companies from West and North Iceland assisted travellers who had gotten stuck on the heath while trying to cross the heath. The rescue operations had been completed early morning. Visibility on the heath is zero.
Read more: No travel weather today: Yellow alert issued for all of Iceland
According to the local news site Vísir search and rescue companies in North Iceland were asked to come to the rescue of travellers who were stuck in vehicles on the heath shortly after midnight.
The National Broadcasting Service reports that due to extremely difficult conditions on the heath it took these companies three full hours to reach the top of the heath. By that time ICE-SAR companies from West Iceland had been dispatched to help people who were stuck on the southern part of the heath.
ICE-SAR assisted travellers in four passenger cars who were stuck. Seven trailer trucks which had also gotten stuck were left on the heath. When the heath is plowed after the weather has improved the trucks will be removed and the road re-opened. It is not clear when the heath will be re-opened. In the meantime the Ring Road between West and North Iceland will remain closed to all traffic.
The Ring Road over Holtavörðuheiði heath, which separates North and West Iceland, is impassable and has been closed to all traffic. ICE-SAR companies from West and North Iceland assisted travellers who had gotten stuck on the heath while trying to cross the heath. The rescue operations had been completed early morning. Visibility on the heath is zero.
Read more: No travel weather today: Yellow alert issued for all of Iceland
According to the local news site Vísir search and rescue companies in North Iceland were asked to come to the rescue of travellers who were stuck in vehicles on the heath shortly after midnight.
The National Broadcasting Service reports that due to extremely difficult conditions on the heath it took these companies three full hours to reach the top of the heath. By that time ICE-SAR companies from West Iceland had been dispatched to help people who were stuck on the southern part of the heath.
ICE-SAR assisted travellers in four passenger cars who were stuck. Seven trailer trucks which had also gotten stuck were left on the heath. When the heath is plowed after the weather has improved the trucks will be removed and the road re-opened. It is not clear when the heath will be re-opened. In the meantime the Ring Road between West and North Iceland will remain closed to all traffic.
