Floods in Iceland

Icelandic floods are primarily caused by glacial dynamics and volcanic activities. It comprises various phenomena, including jökulhlaups, river floods, and coastal flooding. Jökulhlaups are the most significant type of flood in Iceland. They occur when water is rapidly released from beneath glaciers, often triggered by volcanic activity or geothermal heating. The 2015 Vatnajökull event is an example of this type of flood, which produced peak discharges of 900,000 cubic meters per second. Iceland has experienced approximately 60 major floods since the 9th century.

''List of floods''

On July 27, 2024, a glacial flood occurred in southern Iceland, caused by a glacial outburst from Skálm east of Mýrdalsjökull. It flooded a section of the Ring Road and closed a 70km stretch of highway between Vik and Kirkjubaejarklaustur. According to natural disaster experts, the water level rose by almost one meter, and recent seismic activity suggests that a kettle hole is emptying, resulting in floods. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries. This event has increased the flow rate of the Skálm River to over 1,000 m3/s.