A landslide struck a residential area near Carl Berner in Oslo on Sunday evening. The rockslide occurred on a slope in the middle of a neighborhood. Residents from several nearby buildings were evacuated, including an entire student housing block owned by the Oslo Student Union. That building houses 240 students who are among those displaced.
The landslide happened behind the student housing block. Authorities fear a large rock mass above the building could collapse. The structure remains evacuated until experts can assess the landslide risk.
The student union has activated its crisis response team following the incident. Police worry the entire rock mass behind the trees could fall out.
Some students have been allowed to return, but most remain evacuated for now. The evacuation happened suddenly on Sunday evening.
Student Marcus Holter arrived home as the evacuation was underway. He told reporters he only managed to grab what he was wearing at the time. He was heading out to buy a toothbrush and other necessities when interviewed at the hotel where evacuees are staying.
Holter expressed concern about the landslide occurring so close to his student housing. He noted it happened in an area where he walks daily. How long he and others must stay at the hotel remains uncertain.
Operations Manager Øyvind Hammervold said authorities need a thorough professional assessment of the area. They must determine if it's safe for people to return or if safety measures are needed first.
Police are sending in drones Monday morning to survey the area. Hammervold couldn't say when evacuees might return home, acknowledging people naturally want to return to their homes.
The Oslo subway runs in a tunnel beneath the landslide area. Geologists examined the tunnel with transit authorities and found no damage. Subway service has operated normally since Sunday evening and continues Monday morning.
This incident raises questions about slope safety in urban areas. A geologist reportedly warned about landslide danger in this slope back in 2021 after walking through the area. The planning department then sent a letter to the student union about the warning.
The student union's managing director said they followed up on the warning. Security work was conducted, including removal of loose masses and slate. Annual inspections in the area continued afterward.
The timing of this landslide following previous warnings suggests more proactive slope monitoring might be needed in similar urban areas across Norway.