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Just before 3 p.m. Thursday, part of a new house fell off the edge of the landslide area in Gjerdrum.
Police said Thursday morning that no more houses had collapsed overnight and that there were still buildings on the brink of the avalanche waiting to collapse.
Since before, nine houses and 31 houses had collapsed.
A search is underway at two houses located in the area of the landslide, but no people have been found so far, according to police.
The SeaKing helicopter remains motionless over the avalanche area, while the police helicopter comes and goes.
The NTB reporter at the scene says that the Gjerdrum ungdomsskole area is surrounded by countless ambulances and cars of the Armed Forces. Sometimes large trucks of the Armed Forces circulate through the city center, which is completely empty of people.
Hope to find survivors
Some of the houses in the avalanche at Gjerdrum have moved up to 400 meters. According to the fire service, there may be people missing inside the houses.
– It’s a big task. Those that are missing may be in some of the houses. They have moved up to 400 meters, says Nedre Romerike Fire and Rescue Service Operations Manager Morten Thoresen.
According to Thoresen, it is difficult to locate the houses that have joined the landslide. They are working to prioritize the area.
– The degree of optimism I will not comment, but as long as there is a rescue operation, we hope to find people alive, and that is what we relate to, says the operations manager in the police Dag Andre Sylju on Thursday morning.
Continued danger of new landslides
The Gjerdrum landslide is one of the largest in Norwegian history. It is 700 meters long and 300 meters wide.
The Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy (NVE) says there is still a danger of further landslides. The edges of the landslides are still raging and unstable.
– The reason is very uncertain and there is still a risk that there may be new landslides in the area, says NVE regional manager Toril Hofshagen.
– There is hope. There are two drilling rigs that will be in operation. We look forward to reporting on some areas so people can move home today, says Brigt Samdal, who leads NVE’s work in the landslide area for BT.
Challenging on site
The search operation for the ten missing after the landslide in Gjerdrum continued overnight without anyone being found. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB
The search operation for the ten missing after the landslide in Gjerdrum continued overnight without anyone being found. A dog that was in the avalanche has been rescued by helicopter.
Police operations manager Roger Pettersen says Swedish USAR teams are now on site.
– There are eight pieces that are specially trained to travel and rescue in places like this. Denmark has also offered its expertise.
Also, the infrastructure in the area is poor and efforts are being made to help farms that have lost water, electricity and heat. There are three farms with cattle affected by the avalanche.
Police advise against fireworks
The police ask everyone in Gjerdrum municipality, and especially in Ask and its surroundings, not to send fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
– Helicopters and drones are used in the search work, as it is not possible to descend to the avalanche area on foot. Fireworks will interrupt this work, Police Task Leader Dag Andre Sylju told TV 2 early Thursday morning.
Due to the risk of fireworks and the safety risk it poses to resources and crew, there will be no helicopters in the air at Gjerdrum between 11pm and 1am.
Police personnel are working on a possible temporary ban on fireworks.
