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GJERDRUM (VG) Several people are injured after the landslide that occurred early Wednesday morning. The police have been called in by desperate people in the area of the landslide.
The alarm about the landslide in the municipality of Gjerdrum in Romerike went off at 04:00 on Wednesday morning. Landslides have occurred south of central Ask, west of National Highway 120.
– Police describe this as a disaster, says Task Chief Roger Pettersen in the eastern police district at 09 o’clock.
– The injured have been transferred to the hospital and to the emergency room. In addition, we have a retirement home that has been evacuated and there is extensive evacuation for the homes that are within the evacuation zone.
In a press release at 0940, the police wrote that several people are missing, but at 10 o’clock the head of task says it is not correct.
– There are some who may not get theirs, that does not mean that they are missed. But, of course, we hypothesize that it can happen. It’s a chaotic and demanding job, but as of now we have no figures that someone has died, says Pettersen.
The situation remains unclear, the police write in the press release:
– We ask that NOBODY visit the landslide area / local area.
A total of nine people have received treatment for injuries. One person was transported to Ullevål hospital, four to Ahus and five to the emergency room, the task leader says. No one is seriously injured.
Police are working to get an overview of how many houses have been taken over by the avalanche and how many people have been affected.
If you are a relative of someone who is in the area, and with whom you cannot get in touch, you can call the police at 815 02 800. We request that only close relatives get in touch, the police write in the press release .
– You said the whole house is in motion.
The police have been contacted by desperate people in the area of the landslide. Buildings, roofs and structures have collapsed.
– They have said that the whole house is in motion, and that they are under tiles and insulation. There are dramatic messages and the incident is serious, says the task leader.
When asked what is in the concept of disaster, Pettersen responds:
– It’s very serious. We take many different scenarios into account and work from them, while also having an active rescue service.
He points out that working conditions are challenging – it’s dark and the weather is bad. In addition, the landslide consists of fast clay:
– It is dangerous and unpredictable in terms of how it will behave. The geologists went out by helicopter and got an overview, now they are submitting their report with more recommendations, says Pettersen.
Evacuees are transported to hotels
All available resources are put into the mission. The police also receive assistance from the municipality, the Armed Forces and voluntary organizations:
- Norwegian People’s Aid helps with 40 crews and nine emergency ambulances
- The Red Cross reports that so far they have sent 91 crews and 20 manned emergency ambulances.
– For security reasons, no ground personnel have entered the innermost area. The only ones who have been to the core are the helicopter rescue personnel, says the task leader.
The Olavsgaard hotel in Skedsmo is used as an evacuation center. Evacuated people who have nowhere to go are transported here.
– Who they are and where they live is also systematized, so we get an overview of the scope, adds Pettersen.
Among those evacuated in the morning are residents of the Gjerdrum nursing home life and treatment center, which has 40 beds.
– Extremely serious
Sea King helicopters are in the air to search for people and evacuate them. Also, drones are used to get an overview of the crash site. Specially trained personnel from the Armed Forces and the fire brigade have been deployed, accustomed to working in areas prone to landslides.
– A landslide site is a difficult and demanding crime scene, both in terms of crew safety and in terms of evacuation and saving lives, says the task leader.
– This is a demanding task and we continually work with all crews to get a good overview of all residents who have an address in the relevant landslide area.
– How serious is this?
– There is a large area and many houses in the area, so this is extremely serious, says Pettersen.
– Well prepared for such situations.
The leader of the task says that the police will have all the pressure in the future, with all partners of the emergency services and voluntary organizations. At the same time, he emphasizes, they know from previous experience that the job will take time.
– But we are sure that everyone on the mission is doing everything possible now and that we will be able to help as many people as possible.
Geologists from NGI and NVE are on site to map and assess any additional avalanche hazards.
– This is not the first time a landslide has occurred here at Ask or at Romerike, so we are well prepared for such situations, insofar as it is possible to be well enough prepared, says Pettersen.
When asked by a journalist if they are in control, he replies:
– So far we have good control and we are working to achieve better control.
– A very dramatic situation
– It is a very dramatic situation, says Mayor Anders Østensen (Labor) to VG at 09:00.
He was awakened by the police at 04:00. The municipality immediately put crisis personnel.
– We have been dealing with evacuees for a long time, who have been sent to hotels, he says.
The mayor emphasizes that it is always difficult to get an overview in such situations, and that one is at an early stage.
– But we have the systems in place and we work the best we can. There are many parties involved, they focus on their areas. Volunteers take care of affected people, he says.
– How many have been evacuated and how many homes have been taken?
– It is difficult to get out now, because we do not have a panorama, but there are several houses that have been evacuated. We know that a large area is affected.
The mayor told VG early Wednesday that there could be between 150 and 200 evacuees.
Family members are transported to hotels, where eventually staff who have experience dealing with crisis situations and can have conversations with people affected by a traumatic experience will be sent, says the mayor.
– My deepest wish is that the vast majority have done well.
Provincial Road 120 Ask-Holt and Holt-Skedsmokorset, Provincial Road 1542 Ask-Kløfta and Provincial Road 1484 Frogner-Holt are completely closed as a result of the landslide.
