The case summarized: avalanche expert Per Ola Seim warns against landslides even in little snow and encourages people to expel landslides and caution. Seim warns against relying blindly on the mobile phone in the mountains, as coverage can be poor in some areas. In the winter of 2023/2024, 84 people were taken by landslides in Norway, of which 14 were injured and 4 dead. Turid Haugen in NVE explains that in the case of little snow, people often seek against terrain where there is enough snow to travel, which can increase the avalanche. Telenor’s coverage director, Bjørn Amundsen, emphasizes that mobile coverage in Norway covers 88% of the flat area, but that there are still areas without coverage. Seim encourages to keep track of landslides and take precautions for storms and large temperature fluctuations. The summary is made by a Ki service from Openai. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publishing. – Traditionally you can say that in winters with little snow, it is not safe in the mountains. Per Ola Seim has a long time from the Norwegian mountain world. He is rescue technically responsible for Hemsedal Mountain Guides and works in Norwegian alpine rescue groups. He says that there are relatively many who are taken by landslides when the winters have been as snowy as this year. Night to Monday, a man in his 30s was found dead in a snow avalanche east of Hydalsberget in Hemsedal. The tour mate has not yet been found. Difficult weather makes the exploration action exposed. Bad weather in Hemsedal Monday means that the rescue crews cannot reach the landslide area in helicopters. Photo: Tordis Gauteplass / news Little snow in the mountains does not reduce the landslide this winter has been snowy. But is there a connection between little snow and great landslide danger? And how can landslide go when there is little snow? – The snow is moving due to wind. Then especially steep sides and pelvic valleys will be a road that people may choose, because it is blown, Seim replies. It can do, says Seim, that you might move into areas you would not otherwise move into, if there had been snow everywhere. – If you ski and there is no snow, you often choose the place where there is snow. There it can be steep and landslide. Turid Haugen is the watch manager at the snow avalanche alert at the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE). – In case of little snow, there is often a danger of slipping as a result of smooth crowds. There is no talk of snow avalanches, but it still poses a danger in the mountains, says Turid Haugen in NVE. Photo: NVE / news She says that there is not necessarily a similarity between little snow and high avalanche danger. The reason why accidents occur when there is little snow can be due to several things: – In little snow, people often seek against terrain where there is enough snow to travel. It will often be the same terrain where it is possible to release landslides that are large enough to bury people. In the case of thin snow cover, it can also sometimes be easier to affect weak layers and thus release landslides. Haugen says that in addition, many protruding stones can constitute terrain traps that can cause landslides to have greater consequences. Apps, mobiles and landslides Last week there was a “fierce mild weather with an incredible amount of wind” – which naturally triggered landslides in the mountainsides in several places in Hemsedal. Seim mentions the critical factor: – If it is steep enough, it goes avalanche. If it is not so steep, it will not go. And it’s about 30 degrees. He describes the landslide in the country today as declining, at least south, now that the temperature has fallen. According to NVE, an average of 6.75 persons permanent in Norway as a result of snow avalanches. How should we reduce the number of people taken by landslides? – Extensive information work and landslide, Seim begins. Knut Ola Seim asks people not to rely on the mobile phone when they walk in the mountains. Photo: Tordis Gauteplass / news He also mentions the Landslide Alert app cautious, and that you can go in to check on the page of your mobile provider as to whether there is coverage in the area you intend to enter.-To blindly trust on the mobile phone. First, you need to know if you have coverage, and secondly, you must have enough electricity. Map and compass Bjørn Amundsen is the cover director of Telenor. He says that in Hemsedal, where people normally drive alpine and have cabins, the coverage is very good. – But there are mountain areas there that are quite far from the beaten track, areas that are difficult to develop mobile coverage in. Bjørn Amundsen, coverage director at Telenor. Photo: Telenor The challenge depends on the areas lacking infrastructure. It is “miles to electricity, and difficult to get a connection”, which the mobile phone or base station depends on for it to work. – Is this a problem whose skiers blindly trust the mobile phone in the mountains? – We now have a coverage of 88 % of the flat area in Norway. This means that 12 % do not have mobile coverage. It is something I had thought about when traveling in such areas, Amundsen replies and continues: – Then it is maps, compass and healthy folk dishes that you actually have to think about carrying. Then the mobile phone will be a plus if it works. The map of Hemsedal with the surrounding area shows Telenor’s degree of coverage in the area. Dark blue indicates good coverage. White, little or none. Photo: Telenor / news The landslide expert Knut Ola Seim comes up with the following advice: Expensive caution Follow on landslide warning Take precautions for storms and large temperature fluctuations – it can loosen themselves higher up in the mountain as well. Something you do not in any way have control over. When there is a great avalanche danger and a lot of weather – the best advice is to stay away. Published 12.03.2025, at. 06.02
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