Outside on the farm, tractors, machines and timber are covered in snow in a row. Sheep farmer Gunn Sogge has long wanted to set up a hall on the farm, but because she lives under the mountain Mannen in Rauma she is not allowed. Fjellpartiet Weslemannen fell apart in 2019, but the Man himself moves two centimeters a year. It can one day take 20 million m³ down the valley with major consequences. There is no indication that this will happen in the near future. The mountain is closely monitored by NVE around the clock, who must warn well in advance of the collapse. But it is not the risk of landslides that is plaguing the farmers now, but a building law called TEK17 which has set boundaries for development in dangerous areas. This has an exception for places that are threatened by tidal waves from landslides, such as Geiranger on Sunnmøre. But not places that are directly threatened by landslides. – It has been a disadvantage for us and for the operation. We have not been able to plan ahead and develop the farm as we wish. We have it hanging over us that the farm is worth less, because you are not allowed to build out here, says Sogge. Gunn Sogge would have liked to have built a storage hall on the farm for tractors and equipment. Photo: Marius André Jenssen Stenberg / news Neighbor Kjell Sogge has taken careful precautions to avoid fire in the home. Among other things, he has stopped using candles. – Burn it up and there is no place to live. It’s a bit rough to live in a tent in winter, says Kjell Sogge. – I don’t feel afraid This is also the case for farmer Frode Tveito in Øvre Eidfjord in Hardanger. From the stove, he looks straight up at the mountain Tussafoten, where parts of the mountain were seen under continuous surveillance last year. It moves around eight centimeters a year. Frode Tveito has a view of the 1100 meter high mountain Tussafoten. Photo: Tale Hauso / news – No, I don’t feel scared. It’s a shame it has to stop an entire village. We are not allowed to develop, the young people are not allowed to build on their houses and burn them down, we are not allowed to build new ones. It is broken, says Tveito. Want to change the rule But now the government is open to changing the Building Act. The Minister of Local Government has in fact agreed to give municipalities such as Rauma and Eidfjord exemptions as they have requested. – It is about giving better adapted rules for where you can build in areas that are exposed to landslides and debris from landslides, where you have monitoring and good warning routines. And it is important for us to have development in the whole of Norway, says Sigbjørn Gjelsvik (Sp), Minister for Municipalities and Districts. Sigbjørn Gjelsvik from the Center Party is Minister for Municipalities and Districts. Photo: Kristoffer Steffensen Lenes / news The changes already come into effect from 15 March and mean that areas that can be hit directly by landslides will be equated with areas that can be hit by tidal waves as a result of landslides. They also propose that the conditions for opening development are more adapted to the risk in the area. – That means a lot. Now we feel that we can lower our shoulders a little and think ahead and that the future is a little more secure, says Gunn Sogge in Rauma. Gunn Sogge is very happy that there will be a change in the regulations. Photo: Marius André Jenssen Stenberg / news She had almost given up on getting an explanation after many years of waiting. Mayors in Eidfjord have also called for the changes. – It is very nice to hear, and this is very important. We have little building land in Eidfjord and this will be important for future development, says mayor Anders Vatle (Sp).
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The government for development in areas with natural hazards such as Mannen in Rauma and Tussafoten in Eidfjord – news Vestland
