Erna Solberg: – – Bad feeling that so many have not been counted

– 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.

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

Here is Christina’s house (29)

– dramatically

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.

The prime minister says she was notified of the incident early Wednesday morning.

– I received a warning at 05.55 this morning that there had been a landslide. We get such alerts when there are major accidents and other things. Throughout the day, we have received new warnings about its size, he says.

– It is a dramatic experience to be here. See surveillance photos of the accident scene, the entire landslide, and of course the knowledge that there are several that have yet to be accounted for. They may be somewhere else, but it gives a bad feeling when there are so many we don’t know where it is yet, Solberg says.

– This means that there may be casualties and there may still be people in the landslide. At the same time, it is not safe because this is a New Years weekend that people can be elsewhere and it is checked and found out if someone is somewhere else and that the worst is not right.

Look for signs in the landslide area

Beloved day

It is also difficult for him that it was not possible to enter the area.

– But we must deal with the rescue teams. There are so many resources that should have been involved in an active rescue effort to recover, but it is not possible to do more than what you are doing right now.

Solberg says she is impressed with the work that has been done, including the evacuation of the nursing home that has an ongoing corona breakout.

– An enormous effort has been made, but it will also have to be done in the coming days. This takes time to complete. There are many who suffer. Especially those who are waiting to go home and find out if their house is habitable, and of course waiting to hear something from those who have not yet heard from.

– It is a bad day to be here, and to know that it will still be many days before the search and operation here ends, simply because it is so unstable, he says.

– Knowing that there are probably people here, we do not know, but there is a probability that they are and that you cannot enter and save in the usual way.

– As NVE says, this is one of the largest races we have ever had and perhaps with the greatest consequences.

Justice Minister Monica Mæland says huge resources have been invested in the action.

– The message here is that everyone wants to do more than they can because of the landslide hazard. Everyone understands that this is an extremely difficult situation.