After weeks if not months of unusually warm and dry weather, most of Southern Norway continues to be battered this week by heavy rain and, in some areas, strong winds. That resulted in lots of damage during the weekend.
The rain was initially welcome, not only to turn yellowed lawns green again but also to refill reservours and, hopefully, lower skyrocketing bills for Norway’s hydroelectric power. By Saturday, however, the rain and stormy weather was no longer welcome at all, as it set off flooding, forced closure of roads and several train lines and cancellation of lots of ferries.
The areas of Østfold, Oslo and Viken were hit hard, just as lots of Norwegians were driving off for traditional autumn holidays in the mountains this week. Insurance companies were busy Monday handling damage claims, while some homes and businesses were without power. Fallen trees had to be cleared off roads, and the main E6 highway over Dovre was closed by a slide.
“Strong winds in many areas have had consequences,” Per Egil Haga of the state meteorological institute told news bureau NTB. Forecasts called for more rain this week.
newsinenglish.no staff
