The case in summary: • Large amounts of rainfall caused flooding and enormous damage in Midt-Telemark two weeks ago, with 350 people evacuated and roads and bridges destroyed.• The Haukeland family cannot move back to their crooked house in Breskelia, and are considering building a new one house in the same place.• The municipality has started clean-up work and is working in particular to repair a school road that was badly hit.• The municipal manager encourages residents to be aware of waterways and water, and to notify the municipality of problems with municipal infrastructure or land. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Two weeks ago there was heavy rainfall in Midt-Telemark, and a flood caused enormous damage. Around 350 people were evacuated. Roads collapsed and bridges were destroyed. In addition, two campsites were badly hit. A house is still in shambles. In the vicinity of Bøelva, 40 millimeters of rain was expected, but measurements show that twice as much came. The major clean-up job is now underway, but the municipality still does not have a full overview of the destruction. Moving back out of the question In Breskelia in Bø, Pär Ingvar Haukeland’s house is still in shambles. The surrounding area is secured with fences. The family has lived in the house for 20 years, but now lives in the cottage by Norsjø. Now they are looking for another temporary place to live. Pär Ingvar Haukeland’s daughter was in the house when water started to flow into the basement. She got out before it tilted. – My wife and I were somewhere else, but got there quickly and called the emergency services straight away, he told news then. Photo: Idrak Abbasov / news – We are doing well. Although it has been a tragedy, there are many who have it much worse than us. The house was not lost in a fire or flood, so a good part of the furniture can be saved. In such a situation, you become very aware of which things mean something in life, such as family items and things with emotional value, says Haukeland. Next week the insurance company will look into the matter. Haukeland says that moving back to the old house is out of the question, but they are open to building a new house on the same site. It will take a year and a half to rebuild the house, if they choose to do so. The house in Breskelia in Midt-Telemark is still in shambles. Photo: Robert Hansen / news – Scary For the family, flooding in the area was unthinkable. Haukeland thought forest fire was the biggest danger. – But this is perhaps the new normal, and a symbol of the times we live in. Firm ground is no longer firm ground. This is the new reality we must adapt to. Hans Kortner Ryen, municipal manager of the technical unit, has great sympathy for Haukeland. – It is frightening to see how much damage a small stream can cause. No one could have predicted that the stream would flow over and straight down towards the house. Hans Kortner Ryen, municipal manager in Midt-Telemark with the queer house in Breskelia. Photo: Robert Hansen / news Two weeks after the flood, there is little water in the stream. The municipality has had the cost of NVE cover for flood protection in Breskelia. It is needed to secure the development in the residential area, says Ryen. At Breskelia, they have created a flood embankment to secure the housing estate. Photo: Robert Hansen / news Skolevei hardest hit The biggest damage after the flood is in the area around Folkestad Skule. The river Juvsåa dug out large parts of the road. At half past four on the Monday when the flood was at its worst, the municipal manager himself was on the scene to look at the damage. – Then the water flowed over the road next to the bridge, and took with it and dug away a longer stretch of the road. I thought that now I have to get down and get the crisis team established in the municipality, he says. Photo: Robert Hansen / news The municipality is now working hard to open the road within a couple of weeks. It is worse with the walking and cycling path a little further down the river, on the other side of Folkestad Skule. This bridge, which is used a lot to and from the school, is completely destroyed. It has fallen into the riverbed. Power and fiber cables run through the bridge, and these are broken. The reserve water line to Lifjell and Sommarland has also been torn over. – It will probably take a year before the bridge is in place again. And we probably have to expect that it will cost between NOK 10 and 20 million. But we will fix the wires as soon as we can, says Ryen. A reminder The municipal manager wishes to issue a reminder that you must be careful and follow up when it comes to waterways and water. – It is a call to all citizens. You must keep an eye on streams and culverts near where you live or on your own property, and keep them open. Possibly notify the municipality if it is on municipal infrastructure or land. Published 08/08/2024, at 06.57
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It may take a year before the flood damage is repaired – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
