Homeowners and farmers living at the foot of the unstable Norwegian mountain known as Mannen were allowed to return to their homes on Sunday after being evacuated since late last week. They continue to live with uncertainty, however, over whether the mountain will some day crash down.
Colder weather and predicted rain that came as snow eased the immediate threat of a massive rock slide during the weekend. Geologists were disappointed, though, that they didn’t manage to set off a controlled landslide to break off the side of the mountain that poses the biggest threat to the valley below. They pumped water into cracks in the mountain but lacked enough water pressure to force the rock to break away.
The danger level was lowered from red alert to yellow on Sunday, prompting police and local official to call off the evacuation. “It’s of course good that the evacuees can move home again,” Lars Olav Hustad, mayor of the local community of Rauma, told state broadcaster NRK, “but at the same time, we’re all disappointed that we have to live with uncertainty.” Train service also resumed through the valley south of Andalsnes.
newsinenglish.no staff
