The town of Sel is affected by several landslides. On Wednesday evening, a landslide occurred against buildings in Otta.

– The landslide headed towards a housing estate and many houses could be affected – this is what we are currently investigating, Operations Manager Kristian Bjaanes tells VG.

E6 is closed, but there is no question of anyone being hurt after the collapse. A geologist is on his way to investigate the area.

Cracks must have appeared at the top of the Rondanevegen and there were several small landslides.

The police therefore decided that the homes located in the catchment area of ​​a possible landslide should be evacuated.

About 5,600 people live in the municipality of Sel. The municipality is located in Innlandet, which was hit hard by the extreme “Hans” weather conditions.

Otta is the largest settlement in the municipality.

Mayor Eldri Siem of the municipality of Sel said he had not received any information indicating that houses or people had been swept away by the landslide.

– People take the situation very well. People are expressing their gratitude that they now have a roof over their heads, she tells VG.

Siem says nearly 200 households from three different areas were evacuated in the municipality of Sel.

The most recent landslide occurred on the east side, near E6.

– Hotel Thon Otta is the evacuation center. As there are a lot of people, we also had to use the Pillarguri multi-purpose hall and we are now considering using a newly built school which is next to the hall, explains Siem.

The water is high in the center of Otta:

Ruth Øien Mæhlum, director of Thon Otta, says 85 rooms are full.

– It’s a full house here, so to speak. We also have tourists, but mostly local evacuees, she tells VG.

Mæhlum says that those who are in the hotel now will be there tomorrow and a new assessment will be made then.

– We hope things will calm down and people will go home soon, she said.

The Norwegian Civil Defence, the Red Cross, the emergency services and the Home Guard are helping. In addition to the Salt Health Association, which organizes catering.

– Many thanks to all those who help, said the mayor of Siem.

– I hope this is now coming to an end, she adds.

– Breaks like matches

Thomas Bølum Kjørstad was on his way to Otta for shopping when he witnessed parts of the landslide on the upper part of the crack formation in the field.

– He probably collapsed a few seconds before I arrived. As I stop, I notice that several rather large trees break like matches and fall like sticks on the road. They “rushed” up the hill and it worked, he tells VG.

He owns a shack in Mysusæter – a large field of shacks opposite the residential area where the landslide was the worst. Kjørstad is now closed because the road down has been dug again.

– If I had driven a little earlier, I would have been locked out. I don’t really know which one is the best. Either way, I’m safe here and thankful for that, says Kjørstad, who won’t be coming to the store anytime soon.

– Not finished

The mayor is asking people to move slowly to evacuation centers.

– When we are going to build up to 65 dwellings, there will be a lot of traffic towards the E6 and the bridge over Lågen. Then they just have to try to wait a bit so that there is no traffic jam. Descend from the crash area, then wait a bit when they have recovered from the crash area, says Siem.

The mayor says he has received information from the NVE that Lågen has stabilised. She hopes it’s true and the river won’t rise now.

– But it is not finished. Even though it’s not raining now, it’s not over and new landslides may still occur, she said.