Severe flooding hits Southwest Norway

The Vigrestad area in Hå municipality has been hit hardest. “VG” reports that the fire department has received calls from at least 40 desperate home owners affected by water in their basements.

 

The municipality administration and the police also report a great amount of calls due to the bad weather.

 

Trygve Ravndal, spokesperson for Rogaland police, said: “There has been a thunderstorm and heavy raining for some period throughout big parts of the area, almost all the way to Stavanger.”

 

The bad weather also created problems for the Jærbanen railway. According to Jernbaneverket (Norway's government’s agency for railway services) on Twitter, the area is without power between Ogna and Vigrestad. Trains have been replaced by buses on this stretch.

 

“Stavanger Aftenblad” reported fifteen to twenty residents of Gjegnet nursing home in Vigrestad are set to be evacuated due to the flooding.

 

Police chief Kristian Oftedal said: “There’s flooding on both sides of the nursing home. We are therefore about to evacuate the residents. They are in good spirits about the situation.”

 

Also three local schools and several kindergartens in Vigrestad have been affected by the flooding.