Coastal erosion, sea level rise, and storm surges are some of the coastal hazards that are experienced in Iceland. Iceland is a large island, with a number of smaller islands, so there is a lot of coastline! The coastline of Iceland is 6.542,4 km (40.652,5 miles) long, and the coastal hazard level in Iceland is classified as medium. This means that there is more than a 20% chance of potentially damaging coastal flood waves occurring in the next 10 years.
Most of the damage experienced in Iceland occurs from coastal erosion due to extreme weather and waves. Storm surges and extreme waves have caused considerable damage along the coast. The most extensive damage has occurred in low-lying coastal areas and poorly protected harbors around the south and west coasts of the country.
This is a great video that shows how dangerous the waves can become.
WAVES The advancing seas are eroding beaches along Iceland's coasts and imperiling archeological remains that have not yet been researched. Photo/Vísir.
In addition to the hazards mentioned above, Iceland has the added issue of glaciers that are melting, some at a level of over 150m a year, and contributing to sea level rise in the area.
An interesting, and sad, thing that I learned is that rising sea levels pose a threat not only to the current population of the country but also to Iceland’s Viking history. Coastal erosion is a serious threat to archaeological sites in many places around Iceland. Many of these sites are believed to contain items and remains dating from the settlement of Iceland and the Viking Age. The price of saving them is hampering the efforts to save them too. Iceland's Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture estimates that documenting the country's artifacts before they are lost could cost 330 million Krona, about $3.3 million U.S. currency. Some of the Icelandic Artifacts date from the Viking age and include fishing camps and cemeteries. You can read more about it here.
Mitigation measures:
In order to mitigate these hazards Iceland needs to (and does):
Consider the impact of coastal flooding in any decision to build in an area prone to flooding, or erosion.
Have evacuation plans (and contingency evacuation plans).
Risk awareness for coastal areas and villages.
Have in place robust emergency response plans and protocols.
Consultation with technical experts familiar with coastal flooding and hazards.
Insurance for risks that can’t be mitigated.
Critical infrastructure; (e.g. hospital, fire station, etc.)
Sources:
Wave video
Iceland Magazine
CNN
Guide to Iceland
Very interesting read. Looking forward to what you'll discover this week.
ReplyDelete