Landslide and landslide risk after the downpour – increased pressure under E45

Large amounts of water have moved under the road surface on the E45 and taken parts of the road structure with it. When the water then recedes, the ground becomes heavy, which risks movements in the ground.

– It could be road culverts that are clogged, but it could also be that the ground becomes so saturated that the road on top is lighter than the pressure from below, explains Mette Lindahl Olsson.

At the same time, the Swedish Transport Administration hopes to be able to open the E45 to traffic on Tuesday.

– The hope is that we will be able to open one side for traffic on Tuesday, but first we need to check how the conditions look, says Felicia Danielsson, press communicator at the Swedish Transport Administration to TV4 Nyheterna.

The reason

It is still too early to be able to answer exactly what has happened on the E45, but it is likely that there is not just one reason behind it. Since there has been a lot of rain in a short period of time, pressure may have increased from below, which may also cause pipes to become more saturated.

– The water has to go somewhere, it can’t go down or be washed away, it goes up. says Mette Lindahl Olsson.

It is also difficult to say when something like this will occur. However, it is known that the affected area of ​​E45 is sensitive. But it is still difficult to predict whether it would happen now or in a hundred years, she says.

Preventative work is important

More extreme weather conditions will become more common in Sweden as a result of climate change and this is a challenge for the road network. The flooding on the E45 will be thoroughly investigated.

– It is important that we learn and listen to weather-related warnings, we need to take it seriously and not try to outwit the weather, she says.

You can’t prevent everything, but there must be preparedness, says Mette Lindahl Olsson.

– It is no less suitable to patch and mend, researchers agree that we will see more nature and climate-related events, she says.

MSB, together with the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, has drawn up a list of areas at risk of flooding from torrential rain.