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Multiple avalanches rock North Norway

NTB/The Local
NTB/The Local - [email protected]
Multiple avalanches rock North Norway
People trapped after avalanches occurred across Lyngen in Troms. Photo: Dag Tore Larsen / NTB scanpix

Around 10 avalanches struck Lyngen in Troms on Thursday, hitting roads and neighbourhoods.

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The avalanches went off at around 10pm on Thursday night in Kjosen in the Lyngen municipality of North Norway. Four of the avalanches reached all the way down to where people were living and the roads.

Between five and seven houses were trapped after the three first avalanches, and most of the people were rescued by boat. Noone were injured or missing.

A rescue helicopter trying to rescue trapped people had to turn around because of lightning and thunder. At the same time, great parts of the Lyngen municipality lost power.

The situation is now under control after 22 people were trapped inside their home and cars. Police are evaluating whether the people, who had to be evacuated, can return home.
 
Police chief Elin Nordgård Strand said on Thursday evening to NTB: “The fire department and other emergency crews have searched through all houses and cars. We evacuated all 22 people who were trapped. We are evaluating whether they can return to their houses tonight.”
 
Strand added: “A geo-technician from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration is on the site in Troms to evaluate whether the evacuated people can move back home on Thursday evening. The geo technician reports calm conditions on the site and reduced water levels. The weather forecast reports insignificant amounts of rain during the evening and the night.“
 
Hilde Sollid witnessed one of the avalanches in Lyngen alongside her husband and two children.
 
Sollid said to “Nordlys”: “It was unpleasant to watch. We saw that a trailer stood where the avalanche came down, and that it's hanger seemed to be moved by the mass of soil. It happened in a flash, so I don't know if the driver managed to move the truck forward. I hope he escaped."
 
Bergneset south of Nordkjosbotn in Balsfjord on E6 and county road 295 were closed to traffic, but now open.
 
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has now started clearing the road.

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