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Insurance company fears flooding

big floodsFloods. Photo: Jon Eeg / NTB / SCANPIX

The weather conditions and snowfall this year remind one of the situation in 1995, when there was large scale flooding, warned SpareBank 1 Insurance (Forsikring).

 

This winter will provide large amounts of water, especially in spring, as in 1995. Insurance companies encouraged people to make preparations.

“We are prepared to receive more claims than usual from April to beyond the summer,” said Therese Nielsen, of Damage Prevention in SpareBank 1 Insurance.

Snow gives concern

The big danger are the big snowstorms, especially in Gudbrandsdalen, Hedmark, Telemark and the Agder counties. In many places there is as much snow as in 1995 and 1988.

“Now it seems that they will last as long as April in several places in the country. In 1995, the cold carried on until May before heat and heavy rain led to large scale flooding and extensive damage, especially in the waterways of Eastern Norway, said Therese Nielsen.

The council of insurance companies are to ensure that the drainage is open, and not frozen again.

Spring flood hazards in the south

The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) have already issued a call for preventive measures.

“Based on the snowfall this year, there is a greater likelihood than normal for large scale spring floods in southern Norway,” said Inger Karin Engen, of hydrology and flood warnings in NVE.

This applies to both large waterways draining mountain areas in southern Norway, and for low-lying areas in south and eastern Norway.

‘’Already Mjøsa is experiencing flooding’’, Hans-Christian Udnæs, head of the watercourse operation at Glommens and Laagens Insurance, stated recently to Nationen newspaper.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today