Status: December 30, 2020 1:47 pm

In southern Norway, a landslide early in the morning destroyed several houses. Ten people were injured and 26 are still missing. Helpers led hundreds of residents to safety.

At least ten people were injured in a landslide in southern Norway. More than 500 residents have now been brought to safety. At least 26 people living in the affected area are missing, according to police. However, it is not clear whether they were in the disaster area or not.

Whole houses destroyed

The landslide occurred around 4 a.m. near the center of the small town of Ask in Gjedrum municipality, about 25 kilometers northeast of the capital Oslo. Police said several houses had been ripped from the ground. Operations manager Roger Pettersen told radio station NRK that residents had dialed the emergency number and described that their entire home was moving. The situation is “serious”. At lunchtime, the emergency services stated that there was a risk that more houses would escape.

So far it is unclear how the landslide occurred. But it could be related to the local soil type, which is very unstable, the operations chief said. There are hills in the Ask area but no high mountains. Recently it had rained a lot in the area.

Head of government expresses sympathy

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg expressed her condolences to those affected. “It hurts to see how the forces of nature have devastated Gjerdrum,” said the head of government.


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