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Rescuer's Lie Saved Girl in Avalanche Trauma
5 Jun
Summary
- An avalanche destroyed homes and killed 20 people in Flateyri.
- A rescuer lied to an 11-year-old girl to give her hope.
- A deflecting dam was built to protect Flateyri from future avalanches.
On October 26, 1995, a devastating avalanche struck Flateyri, a village in Iceland's Westfjords. The massive snow slide from Skollahvilft mountain obliterated 17 homes and claimed the lives of 20 residents, including 19-year-old Svana.
Eleven-year-old Sóley Eiríksdóttir was among those trapped. Rescued after hours, she recounted the kindness of a rescuer who found her hand and sustained her with a comforting lie: that her sister was safe. This untruth, she believes, gave her the will to endure.
The Flateyri disaster, occurring shortly after a similar tragedy in Súðavík, prompted significant safety improvements. In 1998, a deflecting dam was constructed above Flateyri, successfully diverting subsequent avalanches and safeguarding the community.
