Published 2023-08-12 22:57
Norway is preparing for the possibility that more evacuations may be required after the extreme weather Han’s advance.
– We know that the flood peak has not yet been reached, says Valgerd Svarstad Haugland, state administrator in Oslo and Viken.
The residents of Lillehammer are advised to stay away from Lake Mjøsa, as polluted sewage is discharged into the lake from several municipalities.
“Therefore keep your distance from the water and the water’s edge, this applies to both people and animals,” Lillehammer municipality warned in a press release on Saturday.
However, it is emphasized that the drinking water in the area comes from the groundwater and not from the lake.
Danger of landslides
Thousands of people have had to be evacuated from their homes. In several places there is also a high risk of landslides.
During Saturday, further evacuations took place, including at Tyrifjorden, where the water is expected to rise a few decimetres during the weekend, from the already high levels that applied early Saturday.
The situation will get even worse in Drammen and also at the river Glomma, warns the Norwegian Water and Energy Authority (NVE) as new precipitation is expected on Sunday.
NVE warns that the danger of landslides also increases with more rain and that landslides can occur even where the risk of flooding is gone.
E6 open again
A positive news on Saturday evening is that the E6 has opened, and that it is again possible to get between Oslo and Trondheim on the main route through the country. Europavägen has been partially closed since Thursday.
Around 50 county roads are still closed, a reduction compared to the roughly 140 that were closed last Thursday.
– Even though we see new closures due to flooding around the major waterways, more are being opened all the time, says Aud M Riseng, coordinator at Innlandet municipality, to NTB.
On Saturday, Crown Prince Haakon did what his parents King Harald and Queen Sonja did on Friday – visited flood-affected areas.
Like his father, he emphasized climate change and the challenges that follow in its wake.
– We are very used to bad weather in Norway. What is new is that it is stronger and comes during seasons when we are not used to it and in new places, he said in Hønefoss in eastern Norway, which was hit hard by the extreme weather.