WIPED OUT

Eleven Missing, Hundreds Evacuated After Clay Landslide Strikes Village in Norway

At least 11 people are unaccounted for, and hundreds have been evacuated after a sheet of clay caused a devastating landslide in a picturesque village outside Oslo.

At least 11 people are unaccounted for and more than 200 people have been evacuated after a massive sheet of clay caused a devastating landslide in the Norwegian village of Ask, in the municipality of Gjerdrum about 10 miles north of Oslo, at around 4 a.m. Wednesday. At least 10 people are being treated for injuries in a local hospital and several homes were swept away. At least one person is in critical condition, authorities said.

“The situation is very dramatic. There has been a major landslide and we are in the process of evacuating residents from the area,” the local mayor, Anders Østensen, said Wednesday morning. “Several of them have lost their homes, and they are of course having a tough time. There are many who are very upset and scared.”

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg tweeted her concern. “It hurts to see how the forces of nature have ravaged Gjerdrum,” she wrote. “My thoughts go to everyone affected by the landslide.”

The area around the village is known for its soft clay terrain that suddenly turns to liquid with fluctuating temperatures. Authorities are assessing whether it is safe for rescue crews to access the area.

More to come...

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Barbie Latza Nadeau

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