Gjensidige: payments in tens of millions after the floods

Utvik GjensidigeUtvik after the storm and flood that raged on Monday. Major devastations after the water rampage. Photo: Hans Ivar Moss Kolseth / NTB scanpix

Gjensidige expects payments of tens of millions after the floods

The insurance company Gjensidige has received nearly 50 injunctions so far and estimates that the rainfall in Western Norway has caused up to 200 larger damages in total.

 

– It’s too early to say anything about the total cost, but as the pictures from the area show, there are major local devastations. The compensatory sums will probably amount to double figures of millions, writes Communications Manager in Gjensidige, Pål Rune Eklo, in an email to NTB.

At 9 am on Wednesday, Gjensidige has received 48 reports of damage to buildings in Sogn og Fjordane after the heavy rainfall that caused flooding and large devastations on Monday. Additionally, reports of damage to vehicles and boats are expected. The municipalities Stryn and Gloppen are the hardest hit with suffering half of the damages each.

Waiting for additional damage reports

– We expect more damage reports through the week as people get an overview of the state of their properties, Eklo says.

Gjensidige estimates that the total number of damages reported this far is in the range of 150 and 200. The reported damage entails everything from water seeping into basements to total loss where the water masses have pulled down the building.

On Wednesday, Minister of Oil and Energy, Terje Søviknes, visits Utvik to meet those affected by the flood on Monday. During the visit, the minister will also be informed about the cleanup work in the aftermath of the flood.

The clean-up is underway

In addition to Utvik, Sandane and Breim in Gloppen municipality are particularly affected by the flood. All the three settlements are located in Sogn og Fjordane.

Stryn Energy reported Wednesday that there is stable power supply in the area. Ten subscribers are still without electricity. The water supply is supplied with power from an aggregate and will be reconnected to the network later on Wednesday, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) reports.

– The clean-up work is going well, and it will continue. Work is in progress to build a temporary bridge over Storelva in Utvik city centre, and it is likely to be available for use on Thursday, says the Mayor of Stryn, Sven Flo, to the local newspaper Fjordingen.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today