Iceland - Westfjords - the deadly avalanche of Flateyri

Iceland - Westfjords - Flateyri

Westfjords must be the most peaceful piece of Earth in the most remote corner of Iceland. If you could look 200 km across the water you would see the ice caps of Greenland. Whaling and fishing has always been the major source of income, but in the old days, when October came, things would come very much to a standstill. The hardy people lived from the food they had stocked up, like dried fish and mutton, pickled vegetables, potatoes maybe.

Iceland - Westfjords - Flateyri

In late October 1995, the people of the 300-or-so souls village of Flateyri (one of the remotest places in already remote Westfjords), had hardly seen the first signs of winter. There had been some snow, but not very much yet. But there had been heavy stormwinds for a while, causing damage to electricity and telephone poles and to livestock. Wet and very windy weather was all around. Even for Westfjord standards it was horrible weather.

And then... first an avalanche devastated another small town, Suðavík, killing 14 people. The next day, a huge avalanche of snow, ice and a lot of rock rolled straight into Flateyri town, burying and taking with it the houses to such extent that rescue workers had a hard time to determine where the houses were. The total death toll in Flateyri was 20. Maybe not a big number in absolute terms, but it meant that some 10% or more of the local people perished: men, women and children.

Flateyri Google Satellite to explain avalanche

Nowadays, Flateyri, what is left of it, is an example of a rather advanced protection against avalanches. A construction of concrete dams, more or less in the shape of the letter "A" was completed a few years later to protect the village. It worked, because several avalanches have come down the same path, and passed outside the town to roll into the sea.

Flateyri still gives the impression of a deserted village. But that may well have been because we were there in the off-season. There is a museum and a rather famous bookshop. And it seems popular for tourists who come for sea-fishing. Yet, we were told that people are still moving out, especially young people. The reasons are more economical than safety.

Iceland - Westfjords - Flateyri

Iceland - Westfjords - Flateyri

Iceland - Westfjords - Flateyri

We had lunch there, in a simple restaurant. Just fish and some potato and veggies. Opposite of where we ate, there were the ruins of what apparently used to be a shed for the fish that had been brought in. The walls were full of graffiti, and - as I later found out from a photo I bumped on in the Internet - it must have been a hangout for very bored local youngsters in the previous years, when more ruined walls, with more graffiti were still there. The location is remote and in impressive nature. Suitable for outdoors sports, and they try... But it all looked a bit sad when we were there. Not sure what will come of Flateyri.

Iceland - Westfjords - Flateyri

Iceland - Westfjords - Flateyri

Iceland - Westfjords - Flateyri

Iceland - Westfjords - Flateyri

When we drove back, we passed along a remarkable structure of stakes and a sort of veranda along the road, close by the water. Sheep were roaming in the grass underneath hundreds of fish carcasses that were hanging there to dry in the wind. A dead bird was hung on a pole, to deter living birds to visit the place for a free meal. In some way, and in spite of the sunny weather, it just added to the eeriness of Flateyri and its history.