2020 Gjerdrum landslide explained

Time:	c. 3:45–4:00 AM
Timezone:	CET (GMT+1)
Location:	Ask village, Akershus, Norway
Coordinates:	60.065°N 11.0369°W
Type:	Landslide, quick clay slide
Outcome:	Several buildings destroyed, about 1000 people evacuated
Reported Deaths:	10
Reported Injuries:	10

The 2020 Gjerdrum landslide was a quick clay landslide that occurred in the early hours of 30 December 2020 at Ask village, the administrative centre of Gjerdrum, Norway. It spanned a flow off area of 300by and additionally affected by debris flow. Several buildings were destroyed, most of them houses and apartment buildings.

As of 22 March 2021, ten people had been confirmed killed by the landslide.^[1]

In 2022, the police charged Gjerdrum Municipality.^{[2] [3]} The causes of the landslide [... had by 2022 been] investigated by police; another investigation, tasked with finding – prior to August 2021 – the causes of the landslide, will be performed by a group of experts.^{[4] [5]}

Background

There have previously been landslides in Gjerdrum municipality. During the night between 20 and 21 October 1924, a landslide destroyed several farms and damaged 1600 metres of road.^{[6] [7] [8]} In 1973 there was a landslide at Ask.^[9] A 1980 landslide was near the south end of the 2020 landslide.^[10] In 2014, a landslide destroyed two houses.^[11]

In July 2008, an article published in Romerikes Blad stated that hydrologist and geologist Steinar Myrabø had warned the municipality of soil erosion and the potential risk of a landslide, calling for a halt in construction at Nystulia on behalf of Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature's local chapter.^[12] In November 2020 a hiking path was constructed 150 m westwards of the later slide area. The photos of heavy machinery initiated public concern.^[5] But the path and the slide area are separated by two small ridges and the Fjelstadbekken stream.

According to the broadcaster NRK, intense rain in the days before the incident may have caused soil movements in the area.^[13] The Nannestad municipality next to Gjerdrum evacuated a hamlet on 15 December 2020 after a small landslide nearby.^[14]

Search and recovery operations

The first reports of the landslide were made at 3:51am on 30 December 2020. 10 people were injured, with 26 initially reported missing, though it was later determined that the actual number of missing persons was 10.^[15]

On New Year's Day, assistance from Sweden was requested; a 14-person Urban Search and Rescue team^[16] from Sweden worked onsite, and was released the same evening after the arrival of additional Norwegian rescue personnel.^[17]

By 1 January 2021 details of the ten people missing were published by police. The same day, the first casualty was reported. Early on 2 January, the body of a second victim was found, and later that day two more people were found dead.^{[18] [19]} On 3 January, three more people were found dead, bringing the death toll to seven. Three people still remained missing, with searches continuing.^{[20] [21]}

On 5 January 2021 the Norwegian authorities stated they no longer held out any hope of finding further survivors. At that time, three people were still missing.^[22]

A video released by the police on 6 January shows a rescue helicopter over the landslide, searching for survivors. The video is recorded by a police helicopter, and from the communications one can hear how they are trying to guide the rescue helicopter to the potential survivors' location.^[23]

Victims

The names of the victims were made public on 1 January, with the permission of their families.^[24]

Name	Age	Found	Confirmed dead
Eirik Grønolen	31	1 Jan	Yes
Lisbeth Neraas	54	2 Jan	Yes
Marius Brustad	29	3 Jan	Yes
Bjørn-Ivar Grymyr Jansen	40	2 Jan	Yes
Charlot Grymyr Jansen	31	3 Jan	Yes
Alma Grymyr Jansen	2	2 Jan	Yes
Irene Ruud Gundersen	69	3 Jan	Yes
Ann-Mari Olsen-Næristorp	50	12 Feb	Yes
Victoria Emilie Næristorp-Sørengen	13	12 Feb	Yes
Rasa Lasinskiene	49	22 Mar	Yes

Search for presumed dead

On 5 January the police stated that they no longer held out any hope of finding more survivors, but would continue the search for the last three victims.

The same day the Norwegian Armed Forces and their equipment left the area, with only the Home Guard left on the scene till 12 January^{[25] [26] [27]}

The Norwegian Civil Defence terminated their mission on 15 January and a civilian security company continued to guard the affected areas.^[28]

After a two weeks break the search for the remaining missing victims continued from 18 January.^[29]

On 9 February 2021 two bodies were located by search teams searching for the three remaining missing victims.^[30]

On 22 March the last missing person was found.^[31]

Mobilized resources

Several government and private organizations, military units and volunteer organizations were involved in the search and recovery operation:

Emergency Services

• Upper Romerrike fire and rescue – Initial responding force. Later relieved by other agencies.
• Lower Romerrike fire and rescue – Close partners with Upper Romerrike fire and rescue. Responded with mutual aid to the landslide area.
• Oslo Fire and Rescue service – Initial USAR crews, accompanied by emergency medical services and Police.
• Trøndelag Fire and Rescue service – Secondary USAR forces. Relieved the Swedish USAR squad on arrival.^[32]
• Bergen Fire and Rescue service – Secondary USAR forces.^[33]

Government agencies

• Norwegian Civil Defence – Shelters for HQ and SAR organization, logistics, vehicles and establishing temporary water and sewage lines in the affected areas.
• Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate – Ground and avalanche analysis, professional advice to the police
• Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency – USAR team

Private organizations

• Norwegian Geotechnical Institute – Geology expertise.
• Multiconsult – Ground and avalanche analysing.
• Andøya Space – Aerea surveillance and production of dronedata to rescue coordinators.^[34]

Volunteer organizations

• Regional Red Cross units – Evacuation of residents, volunteer ambulances and organizing of evacuation centers.
• Norwegian People's Aid – Volunteer ambulances, evacuation of a nursing home, vehicles, organizing of evacuation centers.
• Norwegian Rescue Dog Association – 28 K9 units on standby.
• Norwegian Radio Relay League – Organizing of signals and communication.

• Engineer battalion – Leguan bridge layer, ground strengthening system and support for SAR crews in the disaster area.
• Norwegian Home Guard – Guarding of the disaster perimeter.
• Special Operations Commando – Drone search and organizing of airspace.
• 330 Squadron – Rescue helicopters (Sea King and SAR Queen).
• 333 Squadron – P-3C Orion reconnaissance aircraft, initial search of disaster area.
• 339 Special Operations Aviation Squadron – Two Bell 412 helicopters, search and rescue and personnel transport.
• Intelligence Battalion – Image analysing of drone photos.

Aftermath

The Nannestad and Gjerdrum Red Cross received large amounts of donations of toys, clothing, and hygiene products for the survivors of the landslide.^[35]

Following the disaster, several news outlets revealed that the affected area had been designated as a high-risk area for landslides as early as 2005 and that it was scheduled for a new evaluation in 2021 due to the increased amount of housing and construction projects in the area.^{[36] [37]}

Several experts and engineers later criticized the Norwegian national government as well as local government for not taking high-risk areas seriously and allowing housing projects to continue despite having "clear instructions of how to deal with these areas for over fifty years."^[38]

Reactions

Prime Minister Erna Solberg visited the affected area on 31 December 2020, and King Harald V dedicated parts of his New Year's Speech to those affected by the disaster.

The King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf, also publicly expressed his sympathies the following day.^[39] The President of Finland Sauli Niinistö and the Prime Minister Sanna Marin also expressed their condolences to the Norwegian government and people.^[40]

On 3 January 2021, King Harald V, Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon visited the disaster area to speak with rescuers, volunteers, evacuees and their relatives.^{[41] [42]}

See also

• List of landslides
• Tafjord rockslide

External links

• Gjerdrum-skredet: Elv i rasområdet har aldri vært sikret [The Gjerdrum landslide: River in the area of landslide, was never made secure] (20 February 2021)
• Gjerdrum: Advarte gjentatte ganger om oversvømmelser – ingen tok ansvaret [Gjerdrum: Warned repeatedly, about flooding – no one took responsibility] (12 February 2021)
• Gjerdrum: Utgraving av gangvei sist høst kjent for kommunen først etter skredet [Gjerdrum: excavation of footpath last autumn (became) known to the municipality, only after the landslide] (30 January 2021)
• Startet ulovlig byggearbeid ved skredområdet i 2012: «Kraftig påtrykk fra utbygger» [Started illegal construction work in 2012, next to the landslide area: «Lot of (or heavy) pressuring by the developer»] (30 January 2021)
• Planla å sjekke ut gamle rør ved skredområdet – mistenkte vannlekkasjer [Planned to check old pipes near the landslide area – suspected water leaks ] (29 January 2021)
• Geolog om Gjerdrum-skredet: Ganske sikker på at svaret ligger i bekkene [Geologist about the Gjerdrum landslide: Rather sure that the answer lies in the stream] (22 January 2021)
• Skredkatastrofen i Gjerdrum: Slik skal de jakte svar [The landslide disaster in Gjerdrum: This is how they will hunt for answers] (19 January 2021)
• Kvikkleireskredet i Gjerdrum er en skandale som må få store konsekvenser [The quick clay landslide in Gjerdrum must result in large consequences]
• Slo alarm etter dette [Sounded the alarm after this]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Rasa (49) bekreftet omkommet. 25 March 2021.
2. https://www.nrk.no/osloogviken/gjerdrum-kommune-siktet-etter-leirskred_-varsler-stotter-politiet-1.15839664. NRK
3. https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/L5XKl4/det-sentrale-varselet-i-gjerdrum-ba-kommunen-om-hjelp-til-aa-sette-inn-tiltak Det sentrale varselet i Gjerdrum: Ba kommunen om hjelp til å sette inn tiltak
4. Web site: Var hindret fra å kreve nye tiltak ved skredområdet – nå kan loven endres: – Har gått usedvanlig tregt . Was prevented from demanding new measures at the landslide area – now the law can be changed: – Has been unusually slow . vg.no. 11 April 2021.
5. News: Berge . Jørgen . Lilleås . Heidi Schei . Bjerke . Siv Elisabeth . Facebook-melding viser gravearbeid før rasulykken. Ekspert: – For tidlig å si om det hadde betydning. 6 January 2021 . Nettavisen . 4 January 2021 . no . Facebook message shows excavation work before the landslide accident. Expert: – Too early to say if it mattered.
6. Holmsen, Gunnar . 1929 . Norges geologiske undersøkelse nr. 132. Lerfaldene ved Kokstad, Gretnes og Braa . The clay falls at Kokstad, Gretnes and Braa . Oslo . I kommisjon hos H. Aschehoug . Chapter "Lerfaldet ved Kokstad i Gjerdrum" (pp. 3–15).
7. Book: Rud, Ole . II Istida og perioden etter den. 1982 . Lokalhistorie for skole og heim i Gjerdrum . Local history for school and home in Gjerdrum . 8299089905 . Lions Club . 18–19.
8. Book: Kirkeby, Birger . 1974 . Gjerdrum bygdebok. 3 : Bygdehistorie : Gjerdrums historie fra de eldste tider til ca. 1550 . Gjerdrum village book. 3: Village history: Gjerdrum's history from the oldest times to approx. 1550 . Kommunen . 20–21, 76.
9. https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/kR8bwv/bjoern-65-i-skred-drama-i-gjerdrum-for-40-aar-siden-rygget-saa-fort-jeg-maktet Bjørn (65) i skred-drama i Gjerdrum for 40 år siden: − Rygget så fort jeg maktet
10. https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/kR8bwv/bjoern-65-i-skred-drama-i-gjerdrum-for-40-aar-siden-rygget-saa-fort-jeg-maktet "Det mindre skredet i 1980 gikk nær sørenden av dagens rasområde, ifølge entreprenøren"
11. https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/gWvpVk/ordfoererens-barndomshjem-tatt-av-skred-i-2012 Ordførerens barndomshjem tatt av skred i 2012
12. https://www.nettavisen.no/her-er-bildene-hydrogeologen-mener-varslet-om-fare-for-leirskred/s/5-43-1499757 "Myrabø, som i kraft av sin profesjon som hydrogeolog og hydrolog er ekspert på området, varslet den gang Gjerdrum kommune, og Romerikes Blad skrev om saken i juli samme år. «Jorda renner bort og han er bekymret for skred», het det i vår reportasje for 12 og et halvt år siden. Myrabø krevde på vegne av foreningen stans i arbeidene og det ble fremmet forslag til tiltak i Nystulia, ifølge Myrabø til liten eller ingen nytte."
13. News: Body found in rubble as rescuers search for nine people missing after Norway landslide . ABC News. Australia . 2 January 2021 . 5 January 2021.
14. News: Her gikk raset før jul (Here went the landslide before Christmas) . Dagbladet . 5 January 2021 . 19 January 2021.
15. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55484627 Norway landslide: Houses buried in Gjerdrum village near Oslo
16. Web site: Har fortsatt håp om å finne overlevende i live – sender inn svensk kriseteam til skredområdet . Still has hope of finding survivors alive – sends Swedish crisis team to the landslide area . dagsavisen.no.
17. Web site: Svenske redningsstyrker har dratt hjem fra Gjerdrum – VG Nå: Skredet i Gjerdrum . Swedish rescue forces have returned home from Gjerdrum – VG Now: The landslide in Gjerdrum . VG Nå.
18. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55516599 Norway landslide: Second body found as rescuers search Gjerdrum site
19. Web site: Nok en person funnet omkommet i Gjerdrum . Another person found dead in Gjerdrum. 2021-01-02. aftenposten.no. nb.
20. Web site: Norway Landslide: Everything We Know So Far. David. Nikel. 4 January 2021.
21. News: Krantz . Andreas . Sju personer bekreftet omkommet etter skredet i Gjerdrum . Seven people confirmed dead after the landslide in Gjerdrum . 3 January 2021 . NRK . 3 January 2021 . nb-NO.
22. Web site: Olsen. Jan M.. 5 January 2021. Rescuers in Norway lose hope of finding landslide survivors. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210105094056/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/dog-found-alive-raises-hopes-deadly-norway-landslide-75051419 . 5 January 2021 . ABC News. United States.
23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpfa1DLrdUo Den første videoen fra Gjerdrum-skredet
24. https://www.nrk.no/norge/dette-er-de-savnede-og-omkomne-etter-skredet-i-gjerdrum-1.15309985 NRK: Dette er de savnede og omkomne (tr. "These are the missing and dead")
25. https://www.reuters.com/article/norway-landslide/missing-people-presumed-dead-after-norway-landslide-police-chief-says-idINKBN29A1O8 Missing people presumed dead after Norway landslide, police chief says
26. https://forsvaretsforum.no/gjerdrum-heimevernet/hv---kommunen-bestemmer-behovet/176369 HV: – Kommunen bestemmer behovet
27. https://forsvaretsforum.no/gjerdrum-heimevernet/neste-gang-hv-soldatene-motes-haper-de-at-det-er-pa-ovelse/177331 Neste gang HV-soldatene møtes, håper de at det er på øvelse. I mars 2020 støttet de politiet på Gardermoen. Nå har HV-soldatene stått vakt i Gjerdrum
28. https://www.nationen.no/nyhet/sivilforsvaret-trekker-seg-ut-fra-gjerdrum/ Sivilforsvaret trekker seg ut fra Gjerdrum
29. https://www.nrk.no/osloogviken/skredet-i-gjerdrum_-sok-gjenopptas-1.15332185 Været skaper trøbbel for letearbeidene
30. https://www.nrk.no/osloogviken/har-funnet-to-dode-personer-etter-skredet-i-gjerdrum-1.15366478 Nye omkomne etter skredet i Gjerdrum: – Funnet på to meters dyp
31. https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/7KBpkK/person-funnet-doed-i-skredgropen-i-gjerdrum En tiende person funnet død i skredgropen i Gjerdrum: − Et trist kapittel kan lukkes
32. Web site: Dette er brannvesenet innsats i Gjerdrum. 2021-09-08. orbrann.no.
33. Web site: Her er redningsteamet fra Bergen på plass i Gjerdrum.
34. https://www.uasnorway.no/170-flyvninger-70-timer-i-lufta-og-24000-bilder/ 170 flyvninger. 70 timer i lufta og 24000 bilder
35. Web site: Clothes and Toys Donated Following Deadly Norway Landslide. uk.news.yahoo.com . 2 January 2021 . 11 April 2021.
36. Web site: Hagen. John Rasmussen, Angelica. 2021-01-01. Planla ny kartlegging av kvikkleira i Ask i 2021 . Plan a new survey of quick clay in Ask in 2021 . 2021-01-04. dagbladet.no. no.
37. Web site: Skredområdet beskrevet som "høyrisiko" i rapport fra 2005 . The landslide area described as "high risk" in a report from 2005 . 2021-01-04. vg.no. nb.
38. Web site: Kunne denne katastrofen vært forhindret? . Could this disaster have been prevented? . aftenposten.no.
39. https://www.kungahuset.se/press/pressmeddelanden/aretspressmeddelanden/telegramtillkonungenavnorge.5.5e7d48041768421df9c931b.html Telegram till Konungen av Norge
40. Web site: Norjan maanvyöryssä edelleen kateissa kymmenkunta ihmistä ja toivo eloonjääneiden löytymisestä hiipuu – Uuden halkeaman vuoksi evakuoitiin 46 ihmistä . A dozen people still missing in the Norwegian landslide and hopes of finding survivors wane – 46 people evacuated due to new fissure . 2021-01-02. aamulehti.fi. 31 December 2020 . fi.
41. Web site: Norway's royal family on site in Gjerdrum to meet rescue workers and evacuees. nord.news. 3 January 2021. 3 January 2021. 5 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210105133558/https://nord.news/2021/01/03/norways-royal-family-on-site-in-gjerdrum-to-meet-rescue-workers-and-evacuees/. dead.
42. Web site: Preget kongepar om skredkatastrofen: – Det er helt forferdelig . Impressed royal couple about the landslide disaster: – It is absolutely terrible . Hanna Reppen Kvikstad. NTB. 3 January 2021. Nettavisen.