Earthquake at Selfoss, Iceland

That powerful quake came just 10 minutes after our arrival home after a two week trip to Scotland as we were just opening our suitcases. In a few seconds our home was as ravaged by war. The piano in the living room fell down on the floor. Books and broken dishes were all mixed in piles on the floors. A cabinet with dishes fell on Ida’s hand. Both the cabinet and other furniture and rubbish prevented me from reaching her right away.

When I had dug my way over to Ida I managed to get her to a facet with cold water to take away the worst pain. Then we drove towards the hospital across the river, but police had closed the bridge, so we turned around and drove in the direction of Gullfoss where we hoped to cross the river by another bridge several miles away. Then we heard on the radio that people should call the emergency number 112 for instruction. There we were told to drive back home to prevent congested traffic on the highways. They would notify an ambulance which would bring first aid. We were not to go back into the house because another quake might cause more damage.

Turning the car again a police van with blue lights blinking approached full speed. When he saw us he stopped and this officer was Ida’s grandson. He informed us that the bridge was open again, and advised us to go to the local hospital. Before he resumed his round of inspection he hugged his grandma and shed a couple of tears. She is highly beloved by all of her folks. You barely see such strong family ties elsewhere.

At the hospital several nurses came and hugged Ida. They had been close friends through many years of working together. Most of the related that their homes were devastated. 28 persons were injured, but fortunately none very seriously, although there had been several close calls. A man had just moved when a huge lamp fell down and had hit him on the head if he had not moved just before the strike. A helicopter arrived but was not needed. Those with the least injuries were going to be brought to hospitals in Reykjavik, so the local hospital could concentrate on caring for the worst cases. The worst road damages on the highway had already been repaired, although the hardtop machines arrived a little later.

Two daughters, Olly and Perla, two grandchildren, Linda and Eyrun Ida, and a great grandchild, Sveinn Atli, came to see Ida at the hospital. The minister of finance and another member of the Althing came to talk to us. I said to the minister, that I was sure the government was meeting a great challenge by this earthquake, and he assured us they would do all they could. I suggested to the other one, whom Ida knew from the Westmann Islands, that this earthquake might prevent them from digging a tunnel to the islands. Many would fear a collapse in case of such an earthquake…

We did not see a third member of the Althing elected from this district. He was my student in junior high. We discovered his home was greatly damaged.

Just as they were going to send Ida to Reykjavik, the attending physician came by. Ida knew him and his wife. He suggested they could manage to get an x-ray of her hand locally. Fortunately there was no break, but is was greatly swollen with a heavy internal bleeding. He gave her a very good and powerful elastic bandage and asked her to keep in touch if it did not get better soon.

By now two sons had taken lots of pictures of the damage for the insurance, and then they started making order. Birgir, the younger one, did not have much damage to his apartments because it had a solid concrete foundation. Heiðar, the older one, lives in Reykjavik where they barely felt the move. He had rushed to us in hiss private ambulance when he knew what had happened. He got that ambulance, built for off-road driving and extreme colds, when a community in Eastern Iceland purchased a new model.

Since we had been told not to sleep in our house, Ida and I rode with Olly to Reykjavik. There another daughter, Birna, picked us up and took her to her place for the night. She lives at Kjalarnes, north of Reykjavik. We went home and government inspectors checked our house. The main damage to the house is that the floors are now somewhat uneven. The inspectors told us we could move back in if we did not have another place to stay. Since our cooking stove is broken and destroyed, and there is no heat nr hot water, we have decided to stay with Birna till Sunday and then see.

We are so thankful the Lord spared our lived and that we did not suffer real bad injuries. All of our children have called a number of times and offered their help, for which we are so grateful. As you know we have a total of nine children, twenty grandchildren, and there will soon be 12 great grand. What a treasure we have.

Ida og Johann