The storm, named Ingunn by Norwegian meteorologists, hit central Norway on Wednesday afternoon before moving north on Thursday. The Meteorological Institute has issued a red alert for the Arctic region and several avalanche warnings.
The storm, Ingunn, the most powerful in more than thirty years in Norway tore off roofs, increased the risk of avalanches, canceled flights and cut power in parts of the Scandinavian country on Thursday.
Hurricane-force winds caused gusts of up to 180 kilometers per hour in some places. A new national wind speed record of 195.8 km/ha was recorded locally early Thursday on the island of Soemma, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute said.
Near Laerdal, a small, picturesque town northeast of Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, a bus carrying 14 passengers was thrown off a road, but no injuries were reported, police said .
The storm extends to Scandinavia
Some areas were flooded and airlines and ferry operators suspended services. Schools, roads, tunnels and bridges were closed due to high winds, rain and snow. It is estimated that 12,000 households are without electricity.
Hurricane-force gusts were also reported overnight in Sweden. The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute has issued a red alert, its highest alert level, for the western part of the Norrbottens district, which borders Norway. Local media reported that schools have closed in the Swedish town of Kiruna.
Windows were blown out at a hotel in Bodoe, a town in the Nordland district, police said, adding that Bodoe town center was then sealed off due to “danger to life and health”.
Northern Norway University Hospital said part of the roof was damaged at its facility on Norway’s largest island, Hinnoeya. Photos released by Norwegian media show a helicopter landing pad littered with debris. “Tiles are flying all over the city and visibility is poor,” said Øivind Arvola, a spokesperson for the city of Harstad, to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Local police confirmed that debris was flying around the town.
Major avalanche risk
The Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy, known as NVE, has issued its highest avalanche warnings for most of southern and central Norway for the coming days. The agency also warned of a considerable risk of landslides, mudslides and flash floods for the same period.
Bjørnar Gaasvik, a police spokesperson in the Troendelag region, told the Norwegian news agency NTB that the public security agency had received between 40 and 50 reports from people affected by the storm over the course of at night and that others were expected on Thursday.
Sigmund Clementz of insurance company IF told Norwegian newspaper VG that it was too early to estimate the cost of the storm damage.
In southern Denmark, the Storebaelt Bridge, which connects two large Danish islands, was closed to vehicles with light trailers due to strong winds.
The storm hit the same area as the 1992 New Year’s hurricane, one of the strongest storms in Norwegian history, according to the VG newspaper.
