A temporary dam that burst in Bergen Wednesday night wasn’t subject to any regulations that required its approval or control, despite various demands regarding its construction. No one was injured but now authorities are evaluating whether regulations need to toughened.
State broadcaster NRK reported there were no injuries when the dam at the lake Munkebotsvatnet burst, but 133 people were evacuated, cars had to be moved and boats in a harbor at Eidsvåg were damaged. The main E39 highway running through the area was also closed.
Authorities from state waterways agency NVE were taking part Thursday in an examination of the burst dam, along with officials from the City of Bergen. There are two dams at the lake, and the northern one was under rehabiliation.
Construction crews had created a so-called fangdam, or temporary dam, to capture water while the other was under rebuilding, but it apparently didn’t have enough capacity for the water that flowed into it. It’s the one that burst Wednesday night, and local authorities were bowing to critics.
“A dam in Bergen must be able to tolerate Bergen’s weather,” Anne Iren Fagerbakke of the city told NRK. She claimed an investigation would pinpoint the reason the dam burst.
newsinenglish.no staff
