The case in summary: – A large avalanche passed through the village of Grøtnesdalen on Reinøya in Karlsøy municipality on March 31, killing two people. – The local population is worried about the future, as the municipality has not been assessed for avalanches. – The avalanche occurred in a place where there have been no avalanches before, which has created further uncertainty among the citizens.- The municipality has established a dialogue with all municipalities in Nord-Troms in order to put in place a joint regional avalanche monitoring.- NVE is to map avalanche danger in the entire municipality of Karlsøy, and a guide for this is expected to be completed in the winter of 2025.- The residents are happy that their concerns are being taken seriously, and that measures are now being taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – An anxiety has set in the population. What will happen next winter? What if something similar happens again? Svein-Willy Albertsen on Reinøya in Karlsøy municipality lost his cousin during the fatal avalanche in Grøtnesdalen on 31 March this year. Palm weekend saw three serious landslides in different places in Troms. Five people lost their lives. Among them, the married couple Rolf Harald and Lisbeth Annie Albertsen from Reinøya. The landslide swept a residential house and barn with 140 goats into the sea. Rolf Harald Albertsen died in the avalanche on Reinøya. Two years ago, news visited the farm, in connection with a report about one of his two daughters who moved home to try his hand at farming. Photo: Eskil Wie Furunes / news His wife Lisbeth Annie also died in the avalanche. Here with her daughter Ann-Hilde Albertsen. Photo: Eskil Wie Furunes / news The whole farm, including the 140 goats, disappeared at sea. Photo: Eskil Wie Furunes / news – The village is in mourning. Everyone knows everyone here, says Svein-Willy Albertsen. The avalanche occurred in a place where there has never been an avalanche before. Now the residents and cottagers are worried about whether it is safe to be there in the winter. The farm plot in Grøtnesdalen on Reinøya is still blocked off. Arrangements have been made to be able to come and remember those who once were. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news Feeling unsafe The island in North Troms is special with its steep mountain sides straight down to the sea. The village association called NVE and the municipality to a meeting last weekend, to express their concern. And to try to get a sense of security. – What happened was a disaster. People don’t feel safe, says Svein-Willy Albertsen. – Do you see a little extra up the mountain now? – We drive at almost full throttle. You just want to get through the area. Svein-Willy Albertsen was one of those who were evacuated from the village after the fatal avalanche. Photo: Dan Henrik Klausen / news New weather – unexpected events Karlsøy municipality must build preparedness for the unwanted, says municipal director Leif Hovden. – I fully understand that the residents are worried, and that they are worried about the new winter season, he says. There were dramatic pictures after the avalanche. Photo: Anne Varmedal Several rescue teams and volunteers contributed to the search and clean-up afterwards. Photo: The rescue company Here, KV Bison is collecting wreckage from the sea. Photo: Kystvakten As a first step, the municipality has established a dialogue with all municipalities in Nord-Troms, in order to put in place a joint regional avalanche monitoring that looks at how the snow builds up during the winter, and what kind of weather conditions may occur. – We are concerned about the climate changes that are underway across our region, and which strike with unexpected events. We have to plan in a different way. We cannot base ourselves on the knowledge base we have until now, says Hovden. – It is too poorly mapped on the outer side of the coast in the north. Municipal director Leif Hovden in Karlsøy municipality. Photo: Dan Henrik Klausen / news Landslide assessment of the entire municipality NVE sees the need to map the avalanche danger better. Of 365 municipalities in Norway, only 80 have been fully mapped. Now they will prioritize mapping the areas where people live in the houses. – We will map avalanche danger in the whole of Karlsøy municipality, so that we get an overview and can implement measures accordingly, says regional manager Knut Aune Hoseth. After the mapping, a guide will be drawn up which is expected to be completed in the winter of 2025. The population must be prepared for more frequent evacuations, and that they cannot automatically build where it has previously been considered safe. The village team gathered at the village hall to express their concern. Behind you can see the mountain where the landslide occurred. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news NVE stood up to tell what they know so far about the cause of the avalanche, and how they can try to avoid the same thing happening again. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news – It was an extreme weather situation that came along the coast here in the north, with a lot of precipitation and wind from a particular wind direction. And there was a weak layer in the snow from before, and that then triggered the avalanche. Photo: Dan Henrik Klausen / news Safety back The meeting of the village team took place at the old school in the village, just a few meters away from where the fatal avalanche took place. It was heavy snow outside, directly behind the mountain Fuglen. The residents are happy that their concerns are being taken seriously, and that measures are now being taken – both in the short and long term. – It is a reassurance that they will map, because we have climate change and the like in the picture. Landslides occur in places where landslides have never occurred before, and this is an example of that, says Svein-Willy Albertsen. – It is better to evacuate before than after. We are keen to get information before a possible similar situation in the future. And I think we will get that. So that way I feel safe.
ttn-69
Reinøya worried about new avalanches after the fatal avalanche – news Troms and Finnmark
