After a few days of spring-like weather, winter returned with a vengeance over most of Norway on Thursday, especially in the south. Heavy snow and slick roads led to more traffic accidents including a head-on collision in Asker that sent six people to hospital in Drammen.
One of the cars involved in the collision on the E134 highway near Spikestad flipped over, with an 11-year-old child among the injured. It was just the latest in a series of serious accidents at Lillestrøm and Skedsmø outside Oslo, several within Oslo and in both Østfold and Vestfold south of the capital.
The snow was heaviest in western Norway, with as many as 44 centimeters falling on Karmøy between Stavanger and Bergen. Large trucks got stuck and blocked roads, most all bus service was snowed under and parents were called to pick up their children at schools and day care centers.
The main E18 highway also closed in both directions near Tønsberg after one of many pile-ups of vehicles around Southern and Western Norway. The Stavanger area was also hit hard, and strong winds forced closure of some bridges. By late afternoon several highways over the mountains also had to close or resort to convoy-driving.
Weather forecasts called for some improvement during the weekend when temperatures were due to rise, but rain can quickly turn into ice on the roads, and police urged extreme caution if it’s necessary to drive.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
