A landslide struck the village of Gjerdrum, which is about 25km (15 miles) north-east of the Norwegian capital, Oslo. The slide is already being called a “quick clay” landslide by officials. It occurred around 4 am local time on December 30, 2020, and injured 10 people, one critically, and forced some 700 residents to evacuate. As of December 31, authorities were searching for 10 missing residents. Rescues were only possible by helicopter because of the unstable situation. They are also employing dogs and drones in the search for the missing. The slide measures 300m by 700m (985ft by 2,300ft). Another quick clay landslide occurred near the town of Alta, Norway earlier this year.
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Devil’s Slide Tunnel Update and First Attempts to Tame the Landslide
The Devil’s Slide Tunnel project is on schedule and on budget according to a news story at ABC7News.com from earlier in June. The video (shown after the break) has a few nice shots showing rock bolting, soil nailing at the portals, and the geologic mapping and laser scanning that happens at the tunnel face.
I also came across a very neat article about how the Ocean Shore Railroad Company was the first to try to cut into the slope along what is now PCH 1 at the Devil’s Slide back in the early 1900s. They were trying to connect the then rural farming community of Half-Moon Bay with San Francisco. The railroad fought the reoccurring landslide and serious rockfalls. Ocean Shore Railroad went bankrupt in 1922 and pulled up its rails, making room for the current highway. (Photo at left from halfmoonbaymemories.com)
Massive Landslide in B.C. Triggers Tsunami in Lake
A massive landslide triggered a 2 meter plus high wave at a lake in British Columbia. The resulting wave wiped out massive full grown cedar trees all along the lake and could have an environmental impact by damming up a stream that flows from the lake and also impacting fish populations. Apparently salmon migrate through this lake also. Video coverage after the break. (Photo by CBCNews.ca)
Flickr: kxyoung’s stuff tagged with devilsslide
These are some really fantastic photos of the Devil’s Slide tunnel construction. For those who aren’t familiar, the tunnels will be bypassing a particularly landslide and rockslide-prone portion of the California Coast that is currently […]