[ad_1]
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.
During the day, the number of people who have not been counted has been degraded several times.
A little more kl. 20:00, the police confirm that this number is now 11 people. The police say they have a dialogue with the families of the missing persons.
– We believe there are people in that landslide zone, but we cannot determine with certainty if there are 11 or less, says task leader Roger Pettersen.
Children are among the missing, police told NRK. Several houses have disappeared among the clay masses.
Those who are still wanted live at addresses within the landslide area. So far no findings have been made and no one has been confirmed dead.
– We’re still looking for survivors, says Pettersen.
Found with heat search chamber
Fear of new landslides means that police and other rescue personnel cannot enter the exposed area. Therefore, the searches are carried out by helicopter and several residents of the area have been flown during the day. The helicopters are equipped with heat search cameras.
– Has a heat search chamber helped save lives today?
– Yes, I would say that. But it is a concerted effort that has saved our lives today. The heat search chamber is one of our tools.
Store evacuation
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 is described as one of the largest in recent times, and rescue work at the site is still continuing.
The landslide occurred in this area. There are several houses in the area.
New race
As recently as 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, several houses in the area 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
Experts from Gothenburg have arrived in Oslo with a unit to assist in the ongoing rescue work. These are trained to search landslide prone areas.
Task leader Roger Pettersen says 21 people have not been counted.
Photo: Cicilie S. Andersen / NRK
– dramatically
At 2 pm, Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Justice Minister Monica Mæland (H) visited the culture house in Gjerdrum.
– 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.
– This is perhaps one of the largest camp landslides we have had in Norway. Perhaps the largest, says Solberg.
On Wednesday afternoon, King Harald sent warm thoughts to all those affected by the landslide.
– 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
Transported to hospital
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 cooled down after lying on the clay masses after the landslide. Five other people have been rushed to the emergency room, police said Wednesday morning.
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
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. 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 have been affected by the landslide, and police came out early and described the incident as a disaster.
Police have been at the scene with patrol cars and police helicopters since the first reports of the landslide came in.
Ambulances, fire, defense, civil defense and volunteer personnel are also available.
– 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 various apartments, Operations Manager Pettersen in the Eastern Police District said early Wednesday.
Read also:
Christina’s house leans towards the avalanche: – It’s surreal
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
The landslide has occurred at Ask, which is located at Gjerdrum in Romerike.
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.
