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Ten people were injured and 26 are missing following a landslide in southern Norway, police said.
One of the victims was seriously injured and more than a dozen buildings were razed in the early hours of Wednesday in the municipality of Gjerdrum, about 19 miles north of Oslo.
The missing persons came from homes in the village of Ask, the center of the landslide, but police said it was unclear whether they had been trapped in their homes, were outside at the time or managed to escape.
Photos taken by a rescue helicopter showed a large crater above destroyed buildings.
Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg told TV2 broadcaster that it should have been a New Year’s weekend with “peace and quiet.”
“And maybe we should have been more concerned about COVID-19 … not if we have people missing from a landslide,” he said.
About 500 people have been evacuated, Gjerdrum Mayor Anders Oestensen told local media.
Police said the area remains unstable for now and can only be accessed by helicopter.