In recent days, the local newspaper Sandefjords Blad has written several stories about the danger of quick clay landslides in a residential area in the city. Avisa has mentioned a new report from the geological company Ruden AS. It shows that the ground conditions at Breidablikk are poor. – The ground is like Swiss cheese, says geologist Fridjov Ruden. He fears a truck or excavator will be enough to trigger a collapse. Ruden’s renowned company has carried out several assignments for NVE, and among other things has won an innovation award for its work. The Norwegian Directorate of Waterways and Energy (NVE) does not dispute the report, but says there is no acute danger of landslides. Left behind are bewildered residents, who don’t know what to think about the matter. CRACKS UP: The stairs in one of the homes on Breidablikk are sliding apart. Photo: Philip Hofgaard / news – Speechless and scared On Tuesday afternoon, the quick clay situation was the topic of the Chairman’s meeting. Earlier in the day, the municipality had a meeting with NVE. The conclusion after the meeting is clear, according to municipal director Bjørn Gudbjørgsrud: – NVE completely rules out that there is a danger to life and health. They believe it is safe to live there, and that the residents do not need to be anxious. SERIOUSNESS: Municipal director Bjørn Gudbjørsrud does not want to make residents unnecessarily worried, but says they take the report seriously. Photo: Philip Hofgaard / news Regional Director of NVE, Elisabeth Rui, confirms that they have given the municipality advice. – And we stand by that, that there is no danger to life and health here. And that we cannot see any danger of landslides. – So you think it is safe to live there? – Yes, replies Rui. Resident Tor Henrik Norberg does not feel reassured. He lives in one of the houses that has suffered major settlement damage, and is upset about what NVE and the municipality say. – I am both speechless and a little frightened. They have cleared the area from a distance! MAJOR DAMAGE: Tor Henrik Norberg’s house has large cracks in the foundation wall. Photo: Philip Hofgaard / news – A breach of trust Norberg believes the investigations from Ruden AS show the exact opposite of what NVE claims. They believe that it is a short way down to the mountains, and that this limits how far an avalanche can go. Ruden says they have found no mountain, but up to 40 meters of clay. The geologist calls the health report from NVE a breach of trust, and says he is very surprised. SHOCKED: Geologist Fridjov Ruden says he is shocked that NVE has cleared the residential area, which he describes as a Swiss cheese. He believes that a lorry could, in the worst case, trigger a landslide here. Photo: HÅKON AURLIEN / VEGEN AND WE – Here we sit, old geologists and geophysicists, and there is also a health report by phone from people who have barely read or understood a four-page memo. Fridjov Ruden established Ruden AS in 2007 and has offices in the research park in Oslo, Fredrikstad and Stockholm. The company has 20 employees in geology, geophysics and hydrogeology, and operates both in Norway and internationally. – There is no acute danger to life and health, according to NVE. What do you say to that? – Yes, what do I say to that? We have not received any comments about our results. – Not the way we do it Regional manager Rui in NVE refutes that they have declared the area healthy over the phone. – That’s not how we do it. We are making an assessment of the matter, but based on the information we have, we cannot see that there is any cause for concern here. According to NVE, over 100,000 people live in mapped quick clay zones in Norway. The number is constantly increasing in connection with more new areas being surveyed. The information NVE has available about the area in Sandefjord is the report from Ruden, quick clay maps and the results from ground borings in connection with the Intercity development. WILL HELP: NVE will assist with specialist expertise if the municipality requests it, says Elisabeth Rui in NVE. Photo: Fredrik Laland Ekeli / news – Ruden says that 40 meters of quick clay has been detected in some places in the area, while you say that it is quite a short way down to the mountain, why are there such different views here? – You almost have to ask Ruden that about, we can’t comment on it anything special. We have not received any core drilling tests that indicate this. Rui adds that it is the municipality that is responsible here, and that NVE only gives professional advice. The municipality says they will investigate the area further, and that they are taking the report seriously.
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Full confusion about the risk of quick clay landslides in Sandefjord – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
