Heavy rain triggers landslides and evacuations in Bergen

Heavy rain in Bergen has triggered several landslides, with four homes evacuated in a residential area, Dagbladet reports. No injuries have been reported.

Sunday is expected to be Bergen’s wettest day of the year so far, according to forecasts, surpassing the previous record set on Saturday. The rain has caused flooding, surface water and road closures in several parts of the city.

Emergency services responded to a reported landslide on Totlandsvegen in the Midttun residential area at 12.47pm on Sunday. The scene was described as leaving a house partly resting against a detached home.

There was initially no indication that anyone had been caught in the landslide. However, it was unclear whether the movement had stopped.

The fire service was working to evacuate nearby homes. A search and rescue team from Fana fire station and a drone were sent to investigate the area. By 1.37pm, police said four homes had been evacuated.

Initial assessments indicated that the landslide itself was not particularly large at that point, according to police operations leader Tore-Andre Brakstad.

Several incidents

The fire service also responded on Sunday morning to extensive water entering a basement on Salhusvegen in Bergen.

A smaller landslide occurred below a house in Mjølkeråen. The resident chose to evacuate while awaiting a geological assessment.

In neighbouring Alver municipality, a 30 to 40-metre-wide landslide crossed a municipal side road at Krokjen.

Emergency services and geologists were working at the locations to secure the areas.