Preparing for Extreme Weather: Filling Sandbags and Water Protection Measures in Lillehammer

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At the emergency warehouse of the Lillehammer water and sewage department, work was carried out diligently on Monday. A number of people filled up sandbags ahead of the extreme weather “Hans”.

By Monday afternoon, they had filled up 350 bags, and they will fill up bags as long as there is a need for it. While DN is visiting, an order for 200 sandbags comes in from the local health center and the student association.

Knut Andreas Myklebust-Vårvang ensured that sandbags were filled and ready before the extreme weather arrived. (Photo: Petter Berntsen) More…

– We make sandbags for those who need it. With the bags, you can help divert the water away from vulnerable areas, says operations manager Knut Andreas Myklebus-Vårvang in the municipality.

He is concerned about so-called “surface water” which can accumulate quickly on asphalted roads and flood shop and house cellars.

– We have a lot of waterways that run through the city. The most critical thing for us is if there should be a terribly large amount of water in the kites. If they rise very much, it could become critical for the infrastructure, he says.

Hunderfossen:

The extreme weather “Hans” led to heavy rainfall in Eastern Norway on Monday, and delays and cancellations by water, land and in the air.

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Much of Monday was spent on preparations in most places, with red danger warnings for the coming 24 hours: The extreme weather from the east could be the worst for 25 years.

The strongest warning is for the interior. In several municipalities, crisis staff and other measures have been set up to prepare for the storm.

On Sunday evening, it became clear that Peer Gynt As canceled all performances with Aksel Hennie at Gåla for as long as the storm lasts. The Maihaugen museum in Lillehammer has also closed down. Nevertheless, the Hunderfossen amusement park holds its own.

Karl Olav Båtevik, Eirin Sagstad and their three children Olav Emil, Kamilla and Kristine defied the weather forecast and caught the Askeladden performance on Monday. (Photo: Petter Berntsen) More…

– The contrast is great

– We lose money on days like this, says general manager Hogne Høstmælingen.

– But we think it is better that the guests who are here have a good experience instead of us maximizing our own income, he adds.

He estimates that there are just over 200 people who have braved the rain and made the trip to Hunderfossen on Monday. Although the outdoor attractions are almost empty of people, there are 45 people at work manning all the hot dog kiosks, attractions and souvenir shops.

The article continues below the advertisement There weren’t that many people queuing to drive Il Tempo Gigante on Monday afternoon. Hunderfossen boss Hogne Høstmælingen took DN’s journalist along on a trip. (Photo: Petter Berntsen) More…

– The contrast is great. Last week on the same day it was completely full here. Then we put a stop to the number of visitors. We then had approximately 6,500 visitors, says general manager Hogne Høstmælingen.

The reason for holding is to create predictability for customers and employees. The plan is also to stay open for the next three days, although “Hans” will then really show its strength.

Thea Engeli operates Il Tempo Gigante as Hunderfossen summer substitute. (Photo: Petter Berntsen) More…

However, one advantage of the weather – before it became extreme – is that there is no queue to stand in.

– Previously, we had some guests who took 23 rounds in a row. It was mostly a young person who wanted to take it several times, says Thea Engeli (20) as her first summer job in the park.

Child family case

DN meets a family with children who have braved the weather and made the trip out to Hunderfossen. They come all the way to Austevoll, an island municipality some distance outside Bergen, and will bring with them a new interpretation of Askeladden.

Despite the pouring rain, the families sit through the 30-minute performance.

– As Westerners, are you less afraid of the rain than the rest?

– You shouldn’t look away from that, says Karl Olav Båtevik.

– No, I think so, says Eirin Sagstad, who thinks it’s nice to skip the queue.

Christian Skyttermoen kept Hunderfossen’s car park free of water by opening clogged drains and directing the water away. (Photo: Petter Berntsen) More…

Lillehammer

Lillehammer municipality has had several episodes of flooding in 2011, 2013 and 2014, where the Mjøsa has overflowed its banks.

Mayor Ingunn Trosholmen (Ap) says that the municipality has invested heavily in infrastructure and water security since then. Among other things, the municipality has invested NOK 72 million in the Røyslimoen flood protection facility, which collects water from several small rivers.

– Lillehammer has done this entirely on its own. We have taken it from our budgets, says Trosholmen.

In 2019, the municipality received the Community Safety Award for its preventive flood work.

– These are huge facilities that look empty in the summer, but catch the water when it rains.

– We then thought that if it is going to rain in the future, then it is wise to invest in infrastructure. We are very happy that we did it now, says Trosholmen.

Despite few guests in the rainy weather, Hunderfossen had opened all its attractions. (Photo: Petter Berntsen) More…

30 billion

It is currently unclear how much damage “Hans” will cause.

The extent of climate-related damage is increasing in Norway, partly as a result of more extreme rainfall. Of the ten largest natural disaster events since 1980, seven of them have occurred after 2010, according to Finans Norge’s climate report which came out earlier this year.

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