Dramatic footage captured a landslide sweeping between two apartment blocks at Carl Berner in Oslo on Sunday afternoon. Hundreds of residents remain evacuated as authorities warn the building above the landslide remains at risk.
Emergency crews observed continued movement in the landslide area on Monday morning. Smaller rocks continued falling throughout the day.
The police operations leader confirmed ongoing instability. "There may have been gravel or small stones falling. We have no information about major changes," officials stated.
Geology professor Hans Ola Fredin from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology supported the evacuation decision. "There clearly appears to be a supporting pillar hanging in midair within the landslide area. We cannot rule out further landslides at this site," Fredin explained.
When asked about regional risks, the professor noted all steep mountain sides pose potential landslide dangers. He identified two necessary conditions: geological weaknesses and triggering causes.
"Heavy rainfall can lubricate masses in the rock wall, causing landslides to begin," Fredin said. Weather forecasts show no rain for the next two days, though 3.5mm of rainfall is expected Wednesday evening.
The professor identified additional landslide triggers beyond rainfall. "Frost and root penetration also cause landslides," he noted. Such events often develop gradually over time, meaning currently stable situations can deteriorate.
Safety netting installed on the mountainside provides limited protection. "Safety nets have no effect against large landslides and falling boulders. They only catch smaller landslides with minor stones," Fredin clarified.
The landslide occurred between Carl Berge student housing in Hasleveien and several apartment buildings in Sukkertoppveien. Studentsamskipnaden i Oslo (SiO) constructed the student housing in the early 2000s.
SiO's managing director Andreas Eskelund described the affected building. "This is a connected structure with three entrances. We're treating this as a complete property and monitoring the entire site," he stated.
Records show SiO received warnings about "potentially dangerous conditions" in the mountain slope near the student building in 2021. The organization claims it addressed the warning immediately and conducted annual inspections since.
SiO meets with Oslo municipality officials to coordinate response efforts. "Our current focus involves caring for residents and preparing information for them," Eskelund said. Organization representatives remain both at the disaster site and the hotel housing evacuated residents.
The situation highlights the challenging balance between urban development and natural terrain in Norway's mountainous capital. Despite previous warnings and safety measures, the inherent risks of building near steep slopes became starkly apparent this weekend.