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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Storm battered west and roof collapsed

Warnings had been posted and they proved well-founded: Another severe storm moved in from the North Sea this week and caused damage up and down the coast. Heavy snow farther east, meanwhile, is believed to have caused the roof of a dance hall in Lillehammer to collapse.

Meteorologists said that the new storm in the west was worst in the mountains and along the coast. Several mountain highways were closed and trees toppled, especially in Hordaland County. The roof of a large building in Bryne was torn off, sending portions of it onto nearby roads.

Police were also reporting extremely slippery roads in Rogaland, and the combination of strong winds toppled a large truck in Sandnes. A minor avalanche in Sogn og Fjordane closed County Road 55 between Dragsvik and Balestrand.

In Lillehammer, meanwhile, the roof of a building at a campground collapsed while a dance class was being held by the Lillehammer Swing Club inside. Police used dogs to search for anyone who may have been trapped under the rubble, but all 44 participants escaped injury, “We heard a loud noise and managed to get out,” dance instructor John Sønstell told state broadcaster NRK.

“We don’t know for sure what caused the roof the collapse, but there was a lot of snow on it,” Atle B von Obstfelder, operations leader for Innlandet Police District told NRK. “It’s thus possible that the snow was the reason.”

Property owners all over Southern Norway have been urged to clear snow off their roofs, after the heaviest snowfall in years. Insurance companies won’t cover damage if homeowners haven’t cleared away heavy snow.

State meteorologists predicted the storm in the west would ease later on Thursday, but hazardous driving conditions were expected to extend into Friday

newsinenglish.no staff

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