– There is still a significant risk of landslides in many places in the country, and it is therefore gratifying that there have been no more serious landslide accidents so far this Easter.
The says leader of Norwegian People’s Aid Sanitet, Vegard Eidissen Lindbæk. He is himself an avalanche crew and has seen the consequences of being taken by avalanches up close.
He believes the calm start to Easter shows that people pay attention and avoid avalanche-dangerous terrain afterwards several dramatic landslide accidents before Easter.
Last week lost three French tourists live in the Lyngen Alps in Troms. Troms is the county there most avalanches occur in Norway. In Møre og Romsdal went the same week eight landslides in one day.
– Avalanches have enormous forces, and when we come to the rescue service, it is unfortunately often already too late. Therefore, we are happy that we have not had to move out on any more accidents in recent days, says Eidissen Lindbæk.
The Red Cross also reports few injuries in the Easter mountains so far. At 5 pm on Maundy Thursday, the call centers of the Red Cross Auxiliary Corps reported 15 assignments. That is a low number, writes Roy Worum in the national council of the Red Cross Auxiliary Corps in a press release.
He thinks it may indicate that people are good at following the mountain weather rules, but also reminds that the risk of avalanches is not over.
On the contrary, says Emma Julseth Barfod. She is the duty manager in the avalanche warning at NVE and says the risk of avalanches is increasing.
SoMe video with tips for summit hike.
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– Very demanding in large parts of the country
Friday it is reported significant avalanche danger in large parts of the country (danger level 3). From Saturday, temperatures are expected to rise in northern Norway.
With that, the risk of avalanches increases, says Julseth Barfod.
– We have a very demanding snow cover in large parts of the country. We have what we call persistently weak layers, which are very unstable layers, high in the snow cover. When the temperature now rises, the already unstable snow cover weakens even more.
Emma Barfod, duty manager for the avalanche warning at NVE.
Photo: Stig Storheil / NVE
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In Western Norway, temperatures have already risen on Maundy Thursday. Barefoot says it has already led to large naturally occurring landslides there, and that that heat is expected to spread north.
– On Saturday it comes to northern Norway, and then the same thing happens there. The snow is weakening further and we expect it to be even easier to trigger landslides. Large naturally occurring landslides can also occur.
She says it is difficult to predict when the avalanches actually go, and encourages people in the mountains to avoid avalanche terrain.
For it is in the coming days that the really big Easter outing to snow-capped mountains takes place.
Vegard Eidissen Lindbæk in Norwegian People’s Aid also asks people to be extra careful.
– We encourage everyone to check the alerts carefully every day. In addition to looking at the degree of danger itself, it is useful to look at the symbols and read the associated traffic advice.
