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Police moved around 04:00 on Wednesday night to a major rapid clay landslide in a residential area in downtown Ask en Gjerdrum in Romerike in Viken County.
The number of people who have not been counted has been reduced from 26 to 15 people. On Wednesday night, the number is adjusted to 12.
Of these, women, men and children have not been counted.
Police inform NRK.
The 12 are people living at addresses within the landslide area.
So far no findings have been made and no one has been confirmed dead.
– We’re looking for survivors, not dead. Medical personnel will inform us regarding the temperature and how long people can survive, and when we can start looking for the dead, says Roger Pettersen, manager of police operations.
Searches are only conducted by helicopter because it is too dangerous for rescue personnel to enter the area.
700 have been reported as evacuated, but on Wednesday afternoon the mayor says there will be more, 1,500 people in total.
– Several are evacuated. NVE defines a larger area as unsafe. SMS alerts have been sent and people who live the longest will be evacuated to the Ask center. 1,500 are likely to be evacuated, says Anders Østensen.
The landslide occurred in this area. There are several houses in the area.
New race
As recently as 3:30 p.m., several houses collapsed.
– There are several houses that have collapsed in the red zone, but these are evacuated houses, says the head of task in the place. AND
Several houses collapsed on Wednesday.
Photo: Fredrik Hagen / NTB / Fredrik Hagen / NTB
The red zone is the most exposed area and is where it is most dangerous to travel. Helicopters with bright lights search the area. Additionally, helicopters have heat search cameras.
– The darkness presents challenges, but we will illuminate the place with light sources as much as possible, but there will be a limitation, says Pettersen.
NVE warned early on that there could be more landslides.
– Throughout the avalanches that have gone, there is still a risk that more will explode on the trailing edge. Therefore, it is very important to maintain evacuation until more is known about stability in the area. This is a large area that we are talking about, says Toril Hofshagen, regional manager of the Norwegian Directorate for Water Resources and Energy.
Geologists are working from a Sea King helicopter in the air for a closer assessment of landslide development. They are also working on drilling rigs to conduct investigations on the ground and delineate the evacuated areas as best as possible, he says.
Read also:
We know this about the landslide at Gjerdrum
Get help from the Swedes
A Swedish crisis team is sent to Gjerdrum. Reports from Swedish Aftonbladet.
A rescue service from Gothenburg has arrived in Oslo with a unit. These are trained to search landslide prone areas.
The police indicate at 6.15 pm that the crew that is in the place need to rest, but that new ones will come to continue the search for the disappeared.
– We have to rest some crews, it is better to do it when it is darkest at night, says Pettersen.
Searching from the air
Task leader Roger Pettersen says 21 people have not been counted.
Photo: Cicilie S. Andersen / NRK
Several have been evacuated by helicopter during the day. The helicopters have been in the area for several hours.
– They will see people if you have an extended arm. If you’re in the middle of a house, it can be difficult to find them by helicopter, says Task Leader Pettersen at Police East.
At 2 pm, Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Justice Minister Monica Mæland (H) came to the culture house in Gjerdrum to receive a letter from the event.
– It is a dramatic experience to be here and see photographs of the accident site and of course to know that there are several that have not been accounted for, says the Prime Minister.
King Harald also sends his thoughts to all those affected.
– The night avalanche accident in Gjerdrum has deeply impressed me and my family. My thoughts are with all those affected, injured, who have lost their homes and who now live in fear and uncertainty about the magnitude of the disaster.
Read also:
Prime Minister Erna Solberg: – This is a great disaster.
Erna Solberg has arrived at the accident site in Gjerdrum.
Photo: Jil Yngland / NTB
1500 evacuees
One person was taken to Ullevål hospital with respiratory problems after the landslide. The condition was previously described as serious, but now it should go well with the person.
In addition, four people with minor injuries were transferred to Ahus. They cool after resting on clay masses. Five people were also taken to the emergency room, police said.
Read also:
The house added to the landslide: – Now we have lost everything we own
– I haven’t spoken to you, but being picked up by helicopter is dramatic. They are well cared for, Petersen says.
Rescuers are working in the area where the landslide occurred in Gjerdrum early Wednesday morning.
Photo: Cicilie Andersen
Rescuers are using Sea King helicopters to rescue people from the avalanche.
Photo: Cicilie S. Andersen / NRK
The emergency services have sent large resources to the accident site in Gjerdrum
Photo: Cicilie S. Andersen / NRK
The eastern police district encourages evacuees to visit Gjerdrum ungdomsskole to register. Police write in a press release that rescue work is in full swing, with a focus on saving lives.
Among the largest landslides of recent times
The landslide is among the largest of its kind to occur in Norway in recent times, according to NVE.
The landslide has an extension of 300 x 700 meters. The starting area is additional.
– This is perhaps one of the largest camp landslides we have had in Norway. Perhaps the biggest, says Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
The cause of the landslide is not yet known.
– We are not in full control, says regional leader Toril Hofshagen.
WATCH THE VIDEO: Here’s what it looks like at the Gjerdrum landslide site. Photo: Jenny Mikkelsen and Lene Margrethe Moe Skoglund.
This has happened so far
At least 14 addresses were affected by the landslide.
– Police describe this as a disaster, Operations Manager Pettersen told police on Wednesday morning.
– In these addresses there are different housing units, there may be different apartment numbers and so on. We are now mapping this and working to find out who lives in the different apartments, Pettersen said.
Read also:
Christina’s house leans towards the avalanche: – It’s surreal
A larger area has been evacuated during the day for fear of several landslides.
As mentioned above, exploration teams cannot enter the area for that reason.
– We do not know when we will be able to physically enter the area. We just have to relate to that and listen to the experts. Since we are told we can let our rescue teams in, we will do this, Pettersen said.
Around 700 have been evacuated after the landslide in Gjerdrum.
Photo: Fredrik Hagen / NTB
I received dramatic messages
On Wednesday evening, the police received several dramatic messages from area residents in the morning.
– We have received messages from desperate people who have called the police emergency phone and said that the whole house is in motion and that they are under roof tiles and insulation also more. So there are dramatic messages and the situation is dire, he said Wednesday morning.
Several hospitals have been preparing for emergencies, but have now lowered their level of preparedness.
All emergency services move to the landslide area early Wednesday morning.
Photo: Vivian Stensrud / NRK
– A disaster
The police have been at the scene with patrol cars and police helicopters since this morning. Ambulances, fire, defense, civil defense and volunteer personnel are also available.
– It’s serious when we describe it as a disaster. It is a large landslide area and many homes. We have some photos of the area, but it is dark and the working conditions are difficult. We look forward to getting more general information when the power comes out, Operations Manager Pettersen told NRK on Wednesday morning.
They have conducted a search from a helicopter during the day, but no people have been found in the area of the landslide.
The landslide has occurred at Ask, which is located at Gjerdrum in Romerike.
The Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy (NVE) has geologists on site who are working to get an overview of the landslide.
– They’re working to find out if it’s safe and get inside, says Ringseth.
Romerike is known for having large areas of fast clay and there have been many landslides in the area over the years. But what caused the landslide is currently unknown.
The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) also dispatched rapid clay landslide experts to the landslide site. Experts do field studies to sow an overview.
According to NVE, similar large landslides are unlikely to occur elsewhere in Romerike now.
Mayor Anders Østensen is desperate about the situation.
Photo: Nadir Alam / NRK
– People are in shock
The municipality has put crisis personnel. Gjerdrum ungdomsskole functions as a temporary collection point and evacuees are transported to the Olavsgård hotel.
– So far we have filled three buses. There are more than 150-200 people who have been evacuated. People have been rescued by helicopter and some have been sent by ambulance, said Mayor Anders Østensen in NRK Nyhetsmorgen.
Describe the situation as very dramatic.
– This is very demanding. People are in shock. It is a great and grave disaster.
Gjerdrum has 6,800 inhabitants. At Ask, where the landslide has occurred, there are approx. 5000 people. 1500 of these have been evacuated.
Fylkesvei 120 is currently closed from Åsenhagen, just north of Skedsmokorset and towards Ask. Gjerivegen east of Ask, as well as Hexebergveien and Frognerlinna are also closed, according to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.
