Announcement from the Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of Police and the Police Commissioner in Austurland:
Continued uncertainty level in Austurland due to danger of avalanches.
Continued emergency level in Seyðisfjörður and evacuations in force due to danger of avalanches.
The Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of Police and the Police Commissioner in Austurland had a meeting with the avalanche specialists of the Icelandic Meteorological Office at the end of today. Also at the meeting were representatives of response parties, the municipality and other institutions.
The specialists of the Meteorological office, associated partners, with the assistance of the special task force of the Icelandic Commissioner of Police, had worked on collecting data, making remeasurements and setting up of new reference points in the avalanche areas in Seyðisfjörður. These data will be examined tonight and tomorrow morning and further decisions taken regarding evacuation and clean-up of the evacuated areas tomorrow.
The residents in some areas inside the evacuation area were permitted to return to check on their homes and belongings today with the assistance of the rescue services An on-line meeting of residents organised by Múlaþing was held where information was given directly to the residents and they had the opportunity to ask questions. The Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of Police is now working on setting up a service centre in Herðubreið and it will be opened tomorrow.
A meeting with residents will be held for people in Eskifjörður tomorrow at 18:00. The meeting will be streamed directly to the website of Fjarðabyggð on Tuesday 22 December and it will begin at 18:00.