NORWAY: As landslides washed away houses and businesses on Wednesday, Norway ordered the evacuation of thousands of citizens as rivers rose to their worst levels in at least 50 years.
Extensive areas of southern Norway experienced closures of major roads and suspensions of train services as rivers overflowed, and authorities cautioned that further flooding is expected as the water progresses towards coastal regions at lower elevations.
Innlandet County, one of the hardest-hit regions in the country, reported that numerous individuals were cut off due to the floods, raising concerns about the accessibility of assistance from first responders.
In a press release, Innlandet Mayor Aud Hove emphasised, “We’re in an emergency situation of national dimensions.”
The government made the decision on Wednesday to deploy additional helicopters for evacuation purposes, according to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, as stated on a Norwegian news channel.
So far, no deaths have been recorded due to the disaster, according to the Norwegian authorities.
Strong winds, torrential rain, and landslides recently struck several regions of the Nordic region, downing power lines in Finland, drowning communities in Norway, flooding towns in Sweden, and halting public transport in hard-hit areas.
On Monday, a Swedish train derailed due to a washed-away railway embankment, injuring three.
On Wednesday, authorities in Norway and Sweden maintained red alerts, the most serious flood warnings they issue.
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