Landslide in Gjerdrum – Knut Harald (57) lost the house

At four o’clock on Wednesday night, Knut Harald Opsahl (57) awakens from a violent life outside his Nystulia home in Gjerdrum.

– We woke up with a real bang. It almost sounded like a hailstorm or a landslide. Then we hear that the house started to crack, he tells Dagbladet.

Opsahl and his wife got up and looked out the window. There they see the house next door on the road by the fast edge, just across the road.

– I woke up with the light and told my wife that now we had to take the dogs and go out. We exited through the back door and headed toward Highway 120.

The house collapsed

Opsahl is the neighbor of Christina Brenden, who was informed Wednesday morning that her neighborhood was affected by an extensive landslide. Fortunately, Brend and his family were at Sjusjøen’s cabin when the disaster struck.

Opsahl’s house was still standing when they left Nystulia on foot.

– In hindsight, we’ve heard that it slipped. We have seen in photos that the house is in the mud.

Here is Christina’s house (29)

He got the message from the neighbors, who had taken pictures from a safe distance.

– We had almost expected that, when we saw that the house next door left. We thought it would work, he says, adding:

– We have lost everything. But now we are alive.

Further down the road, they came across several people who had evacuated their homes.

– We went up in a group of troops to the town hall, says Opsahl.

There they waited for transportation to the Olavsgaard Hotel, where the evacuees were transported to the trash after the landslide.

Opsahl also told her story on TV 2.

– Heavy

So far, Opsahl and his wife have not received any information on the way forward. On Wednesday they go to the wife’s son to spend the next few days there.

-They are surprised that something like this can happen, like everyone says about the family.

Opsahl says she has spoken with several neighbors and has managed to get in touch with everyone so far.

– Physically, they are safe. That’s how we are. We may have some reactions later. But when we look at the photos, we realize how lucky we have been.

They consider themselves lucky to have suffered only material losses.

– Of course it’s hard to lose your home. But it is material damage, and we live and are unharmed. We happily praise him.

– Out of control

So far, 21 people have not been counted after the landslide and are therefore currently missing. A total of 700 people have been evacuated. Ten people were injured, but according to the health service, all are fine.

The landslide is one of the largest rapid clay landslides in Norway in recent times, according to NVE. There is no control over the avalanche and many hours after the first avalanche, it constantly erupts in the area.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Justice Minister Monica Mæland will visit Gjerdrum on Wednesday afternoon, after the massive landslide that took place on Wednesday night.

– My thoughts are first of all with all those who are directly affected. There are many that are not yet accounted for. This is a big disaster, Solberg says as he walks in to be briefed on the situation.

– It is an excruciatingly painful experience to see such a landslide and it is also very difficult when so many are not taken into account. I understand that it is a great burden for those who work with this.