Police in the rural community of Ask in Gjerdrum, northeast of Oslo, reported the discovery of a body in the remains of a massive landslide that hit a residential area on December 30. The body is believed to be the last of 10 people missing since the tragedy that resulted in nine fatalities so far.
The body was found Monday morning by the operator of an earthmoving machine working at the site for Norway’s waterways and energy agency NVE, which has been studying the cause of the catastrophe that also destroyed many homes and traumatized a neighbourhood. Police were quickly contacted on Monday, the body was extracted from the masses of mud and debris and taken in for autopsy and identification procedures.
The family of the one person still missing after the slide, 49-year-old Rasa Lasinskiene, has been oriented. Police, the military and emergency crews had searched for weeks following the landslide, with the last two bodies recovered in February.
“It’s been important for the entire town and the families involved to account for all the missing,” said Mayor Anders Østensen, adding that it was sad but also a relief. NVE is also continuing work to stabilize the area, while those who lost their homes continue to deal with insurance companies and lawyers. “There’s still a lot going on here,” Østensen said.
newsinenglish.no staff
