Several hundred people have been evacuated after last night’s landslide in Gjerdrum, mayor Anders Østensen says. The authorities are now working on getting an overview of residents in the area.
“We must know if everyone has been evacuated. We must ensure that they have been taken care of,” Østensen told news bureau NTB.
He stated that the evacuees had been placed at the town hall and that they will later be sent on to a nearby hotel.
“We have received many, and there is a big difference in how affected they are. Some were rescued by helicopter, others were notified at their doorstep,” Østensen added.
Personnel from multiple emergency services and professionals from several departments are on site.
“We are considering whether we need to expand the area that needs to be evacuated.
“When daylight comes, we will get a better overview,” he concluded.
Police: It’s a disaster
The police described the landslide at Gjerdrum as a disaster. They’re still working on getting a full overview of the site.
“It is serious when we categorize an event as a disaster,” operations manager Roger Pettersen said at a press briefing just before 9 o’clock.
He stated that they are evacuating people by helicopter and that they have specially trained crews on site.
“It is dark, and the working conditions have been difficult,” he said.
He also emphasized that this was not the first time there had been a landslide in the area.
No people have been reported as missing so far, the police informed Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK).
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
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