Súðavík

Súðavík is a fishing village and municipality (Súðavíkurhreppur) on the west coast of Álftarfjörður in Westfjords, Iceland.

Overview

On January 16, 1995, an avalanche fell on the village early in the morning (around 6:25 am) and destroyed several buildings, most of them residents' houses. Fourteen people were killed (including eight children) and twelve were injured. Severe snow storms made the rescue work difficult and dangerous. The final survivor was rescued 23 hours after the avalanche had fallen, and the search continued into the evening of January 17.^[1] A disaster relief fund was established, and within a week, the Icelandic public had donated 300 million kroner (about $3,000,000) to the relief effort.^[2]

The same winter, two more avalanches fell from Traðargil, destroying several houses; the areas hit had already been evacuated, so no more lives were lost. Avalanches fell from many other gullies and mountainsides during the avalanche cycle that winter.

At a public meeting on January 23, 1995, it was decided that the village should be rebuilt at a safer location. The existing properties within the danger zone were sold to the Icelandic government, and construction work on the new village began on August 23. By winter of 1996, 51 new houses had been built, and eight more had been moved from the old residential area. The industries in the area were relocated along with the residents, with the exception of the freezing plant, which continues to operate in a similar manner as it did prior to the avalanche. Many of the properties in the old town are now rented out to tourists in the summer months.^[3]

The village's main industries now are fishing, fish processing and tourism.

Tourism

As well as the old town's summerhouses, there are several tourist industries operating in Súðavík, such as a sea angling company (Iceland Sea Angling) and a tour guide business. The town is also home to the Arctic Fox Center, a museum and research center devoted to the Arctic fox.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Súðavík.

• Official website (Icelandic)

History of fishing History History of fishing Ancient Hawaiian aquaculture Chasse-marée Fishing in Cornwall Fishery Protection Squadron Fishing stage Garum Harold Innis and the cod fishery Migratory Fishery of Labrador Munster pilchard fishery 1570–1750 Pearling in Western Australia S’Argamassa Roman fish farm Scania Market Scottish east coast fishery Traditional fishing boat Conflicts Bering Sea Arbitration Cod Wars Crab Wars Newlyn riots Oyster Wars Shetland bus Turbot War Disasters and memorials 1959 Escuminac disaster 2004 Morecambe Bay cockling disaster Eyemouth disaster Moray Firth fishing disaster Steveston Fisherman's Memorial Stotfield fishing disaster   Historic fishing villages and communities Fishing villages Akwidaa Algajola Ardglass Bermeo Bethsaida Bolungarvík Cadgwith Catalan Bay Chorkor Ciboure Clovelly Cullercoats Dunmore East Ea Elantxobe Findon Getaria Gilleleje Grip Guéthary Gümüşlük Hondarribia Hovden Huanchaco Kaunolu Village Ladner Lamorna Lekeitio Marsaxlokk Moskenes Mundaka Mutriku Newhaven Nyksund Old Perlican Ondarroa Ona Orio Pasaia Peggys Cove Pittenweem Plentzia Po Toi O Polperro Port Isaac Portavogie Portmahomack Portofino Red Bay Reine Sa Riera St. Abbs Saint-Jean-de-Luz Saint Malo Sayulita Sigri Staithes Steveston Súðavík Suðureyri Tai O Tilting Trinity Udappu Vernazza Walraversijde Zumaia more ... Communities Atlit Yam Bhoi Hạ Long Bay Lofoten Makassan Newfoundland outports Póvoa de Varzim Sørvágur Tlingit Uros Vezo more ... List of fishing villages Glossary Index Outline

Coordinates: 66°02′N 23°00′W / 66.033°N 23.000°W / 66.033; -23.000