Storms Cause Travel Disruptions and Power Outages Across Norway

Strong winds and heavy precipitation are impacting much of Norway, leading to travel disruptions, power outages, and warnings for residents to avoid parks and wooded areas. Emergency services are responding to numerous reports of fallen trees and debris.

Severe Weather Warnings and Impacts

On Thursday evening, several yellow danger warnings were issued for strong winds, landslides, and floods across various regions of Norway. The East Police District reported receiving numerous reports of fallen trees obstructing roads. Police are urging people to stay away from parks and areas with many trees due to the risk of falling branches and trees.

Incidents Reported Across the Country

• Oslo: Police and fire crews responded to Lambertseter Church after reports that the roof was at risk of being blown off. Residents reported flying debris and strong gusts of wind. Wind gusts of 22.2 meters per second were measured at the Hovin measuring station in Oslo.
• Bergen Railway: A landslide caused the closure of the Bergen Railway for several hours. The E16 highway near Vaksdal remains closed following a mudslide. The landslide is approximately 100 meters long and half a meter high.
• Bergen (Åsane): A landslide occurred in Åsane, Bergen, near a residential building, but no injuries were reported.
• Trøndelag, Inner Norway, Eastern Norway, and Western Norway: Yellow warnings for strong wind gusts are in effect.
• Flights: Several departures to Bergen, Stavanger, and Trondheim have been canceled, and a Norwegian flight from Oslo to Trondheim was forced to return to Oslo due to the weather. Avinor provides updated flight information.

Power Outages

As of 9:30 PM on Thursday, Elvia reported over 9,000 subscribers without power, with 8,000 in Østfold and just over 1,000 in Akershus. Power was restored to 1,500 of the affected subscribers in Østfold by 10:20 PM. Elvia personnel are working to locate and repair the outages. Elvia is providing updates on the situation.

Police Districts Affected

The following police districts are responding to incidents related to the storm, according to the list of police districts in Norway:

• Oslo Police District
• East Police District
• West Police District
• Agder Police District
• Innlandet Police District
• South-East Police District

Looking Ahead

Meteorologists expect the strongest winds to subside overnight on Friday. The Norwegian Road Administration will reassess the closure of the E16 at Vaksdal at 8:00 AM on Friday. Residents are advised to stay informed about weather updates and exercise caution.