The E18 has reopened after the flooding in Sørlandet

Flood in TvedestrandFlood in Tvedestrand.Photo: Kristian Vabo / NTB scanpix

The E18 has reopened after major sections of southern Norway were hit by heavy rains this past weekend. Nevertheless, there are several roads still closed in Aust-Agder.

According to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, the E18 route between Arendal and Larvik was opened again last night. The police in Agder police district confirms that the water has begun to retreat.

“There have been no new messages, it has been completely quiet,” says Operations Manager Per Kristian Klausen to NTB at 5 AM Monday morning.

This weekend, the small town of Tvedestrand (mostly wooden houses) was hit hard. On Sunday, Lake Tjenna in the city center went far above its banks, causing the water to rise high up the walls of houses.

By early Sunday afternoon it was so dramatic that councilor Jarle Bjørn Hanken asked people to stay away from the city center, according to NRK.

A wide range of roads were flooded and totally inaccessible for cars in Aust-Agder. The main E18 was closed at many places from Porsgrunn and through large parts of the county and up to Kristiansand.

Even though the water levels have dropped by Sunday night and it was possible to push water off the asphalt, the flood causes major problems for Tvedestrand’s schoolchildren. It is likely that the bus will not be able to get to school Monday morning, said Jan Dukene, rapporteur, for TV 2.

 

©  NTB Scanpix / Norway Today