A significant landslide on Norway's E6 highway has prompted Swedish assistance, including a search dog, to aid in rescue efforts. The landslide, which severed both the highway and a nearby railway, has left a Danish geotechnical consultant missing. The area, known for its quick clay, poses ongoing risks, leading to evacuations. Investigations into the cause are underway, with no definitive conclusions yet.
Swedish Assistance Deployed for Norwegian Landslide on E6
Swedish Assistance Deployed for Norwegian Landslide on E6
The Norwegian rescue services are receiving Swedish assistance following the major landslide on E6.
"A Swedish search dog will be used from a boat," says incident commander Torstein Hansen to Dagbladet.
The man missing after the large landslide on E6 in Norway last Saturday was monitoring ground conditions when the landslide occurred, reports Aftenposten, citing Norwegian police.
The man was hired by the Norwegian railway authority Bane Nor and worked as a geotechnical consultant, according to Svein Helgetun, police incident commander. This information is confirmed by Bane Nor.
"That's correct. The man worked for a consulting company contracted by us. We are now working to follow up with the company and take care of the employees who were on site last Saturday. Many of them are having a very difficult time," says Gunnar Børseth, communications advisor at Bane Nor, to the newspaper.
Severed Both E6 and Railway
The search for the man, who is a Danish citizen, resumed on Sunday, but he is presumed to have perished in the landslide.
The landslide severed E6 and the adjacent railway at Lake Nesvatnet, 60 kilometers northeast of Trondheim.
The railway was closed for maintenance, and work was ongoing at the site at Nesvatnet when the landslide occurred. The maintenance involved stabilization measures, which began before the summer.
It is confirmed that the landslide area contains quick clay, and experts warn that the landslide could expand in the coming days, leading to the evacuation of several homes in the area.
No Cause Determined
Quick clay is a special type of clay that can lose its stability if exposed to vibrations, rain, or increased load.
What actually triggered the landslide has not been determined, nor whether it was related to Bane Nor's maintenance work at the site.
"It's too early to say anything about the cause; thorough investigations are now underway, and it will take time to reach a conclusion," says Svein Helgetun to Aftenposten.
The landslide means that E6 and the railway in the area will not be usable for a long time to come.