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FLOODED: When the Smelteverket nightclub was built, it was taken into account that it was near the river. However, today they are struggling to get the water out before it refills. Photo: Helge Mikalsen
Large amounts of rain and precipitation have almost nine times the flow of water in Akerselva than normal. In several places, water has penetrated buildings.
– It’s great to see Akerselva now, but it’s also very dangerous.
This is what Kjetil Bjørnsrud, head of communications for the Oslo Water and Sewerage Authority says.
He claims that the water level in Akerselva is currently between records and that it may be dangerous for pedestrians to travel along the river at this time.
– Normally, the water flow is around 4 cubic meters. Now the water flow is almost 35 cubic meters, Bjørnsrud tells VG.
Earlier this fall, it was 25 cubic meters for a period.
– This is also very high. Overall, it has been high this fall and winter because it has rained a lot, says the communications manager.
This prompted the Emergency Management Agency to issue a yellow hazard warning for Akerselva earlier this week:
The Smelteverket nightclub is one of several places that have ingested water due to the high water level in the river.
Morten Guldvig, general manager of Skagtindgruppen, owner of the pub, hopes that they can avoid property damage to the best of their ability.
– The water is fine on the ground now, almost 12 inches. It has done so since they increased the water flow on December 22.
– We have to keep it closed anyway, so luckily we don’t lose sales volume. But it’s strange that it’s happening, especially now at Christmas. Having one of your places underwater is no fun, Guldvik tells VG.
He says that they have experienced that there has been water inside the Foundry several times, but never with as much pressure as now.
Fortunately, they have a raised bar and concrete floor, as well as equipment to pump the water.
– But when it’s so high on the outside, it just goes back in. You can pump as much as you want, but then you’ve solved the problem for 20 minutes, Guldvik explains.
BLUE MONDAY: Although the Smelteverket nightclub tries to pump the water, they cannot keep it out of the building. After 20 minutes it has filled up again.
Even though his nightclub is flooded, Skagstind still takes it easy.
– You’re always worried. But it doesn’t help much to be worried now, we just have to follow the situation day by day. It is not just us who are affected, we are part of a larger problem. In the dining room, the water has entered the entire basement, says the owner of the foundry.
He says he understands that the Water and Sewerage Authority has to release the water into the river to make room for more rainfall in the reservoirs. At the same time, he points out that the timing is almost comically bad, at the end of a pandemic year.
We have nine to ten nightclubs in Oslo, and this is probably a good summary of what 2020 has been like for our industry, says Guldvik.
– It may well be a new year now.
See the Akerselva photo gallery here:
The Water and Sewer Authority is now closely monitoring the situation. They are the ones who control the water level and let the water from the reservoirs enter the Oslo countryside.
– If the water tanks increase more, we will have to increase the water flow even more. On Saturday we tried to increase to 35,000, before having to withdraw it again. So the capacity of the reservoirs was 102 percent, and that’s a little more than we should have, says Bjørnsrud.
He further states that there are many properties located near Akerselva that now have challenges.
– We are in control. But we expect the precipitation that is coming now to come in the form of snow, he says.
