It is one year since the mountain kerneset broke out in the Geirangerfjord...
...and created an 80 meter high tsunami.
248 lives were lost in this brutal encounter with natural forces.
We have heard incredible stories of courage, care and goodwill.
But also questions about what we as a society could do...
..to prevent such a disaster.
And what to do if something similar happens again.
This week, the Geiranger Commission forwarded their report.
Head and senior researcher in Norsar, Johannes Lberg, welcome.
What do you do as a researcher?
- when you try to find meaning,
Where do you search for answers after such an event?
When the forces of nature hit us unexpectedly they leave us blind.
Unfortunately, it is true that no one can say -
- exactly when or where an earthquake will occur.
Especially such a little shake as the one
that triggered the event in Geiranger.
On the basis of that knowledge,
should it be allowed for people to live there?
That's a very difficult question.
But it's useless to live in constant fear.
Because we can not control nature.
We live in the middle of it anyway.
Lberg, we are not going to sit here alone.
We invited a man -
- which has rightly been honored after that tragedy.
- Are you ready?
- But before he comes, look at the following pictures.
Here.
Many of the people in Geiranger.
May the 6th of last year -
- can thank one man that they are still alive today.
Geologist Kristian Eikjord.
Hey!
Hi!
Sorry, I'm late, but...
- Did you forget me?
- Forgot about you? Are you crazy? No, I...
It's good to see you.
- Should I take this?
- Yes.
- You're probably hungry.
- Yes. A little.
I haven't gone to the market, but ...
- Omelette?
- Yes.
- Omelette and crackers?
- It will be fine.
How are things at home?
Have you found a boyfriend?
No.
- Do you?
- I? No - no.
Do you miss mom?
Yes, sometimes.
Are thing going better now?
Maybe. I...
Now I'm fine here.
Come... please.
Julia, please. Come.
What is this?
This is just something which I'm dealing with.
What?
It's getting late.
Come on. Let's go down.
- I do not understand all this.
- It's impossible for you to understand.
Just, too many people died in that accident.
As many as we knew.
As many as...
You save my mother and Sondre.
You save me.
Come. Let's go down.
Good morning. I fixed breakfast.
It's cracking bread with yellow cheese and peppers.
And then I warm up coffee from yesterday.
I also cleaned up.
I think it's best that you leave.
- Does it? Why?
- You are a big girl now.
You understand that I can't have visits right now.
I thought I was going back on Thursday?
I think it's best for you to go home now.
- I purchased a ticket.
- Come on. Let's go pack. Come on.
Oslo Fjord Tunnel
29Km from downtown Oslo
The cause of the accident is still unknown.
The police informed early about the seriousness of the event
It quickly became clear that
two people had lost their lives.
The Oslo Fjord Tunnel is now closed in both directions.
It is unclear when it will re-open.
In Norway there are 32 subsea tunnels-
- with even steeper increase than the Oslo Fjord tunnel.
Many have criticized that the slope
in the tunnel is too steep.
We have now been confirmed the identity of the two deceased.
The two are Inga Hansen and Konrad Lindblom.
Lindblom worked as a geologist for Norsar.
He has been part of the construction work in the tunnel.
Our reporter Mats Andersen was
on the spot shortly after the incident.
The Oslo Fjord Tunnel has been hit by ...
We can not get into the tunnel,
it has been informed by police-
- two have died in the tunnel
after debris fell down from the top.
100 years since the "Oslo Quake"
It can happen again
Oslograben is by no means dead.
Earthquakes are regularly recorded in this rift zone.
The danger of new large earthquakes in Oslo is very real.
Kristian!
Hello.
- Hi.
- Good to hear from you.
With beard and stuff.
I almost didn't recognized you again.
- Coffee?
- Yes, if you have some.
- Ingrid, do you have those copies for us?
- Yes. You're welcome.
I mean I have gone through all that you asked for.
- No rash on any of them?
- No.
I have nothing bad to say about Konrad.
He was a good man.
But he could ...
He could sometimes go a little far
with alternative theories.
We never had the precise measurements that we have today.
It's a level of detail we could have only dreamt of before.
- Get the 3.8 quake from Bergen last year.
- Yes, let's see.
Look at that.
Were there more shakes that day?
No yellow dots represent man-made shakes.
Construction work and blasting.
Only red are confirmed earthquakes.
So Norway is doing it.
And, should there be anything, Ingrid is sitting here and watching.
We watched Geiranger and...
Yes. So, Kristian, we can not measure a quake before it happens.
Ra
7 Km from downtown Oslo
Hello?
- Hello?
- Here in.
- Hi.
- Hi.
My name is Kristian Eikjord.
I worked with Konrad.
Yes.
Then you may know that he is dead?
Of course.
You may be a family?
Konrad is my dad.
Or was my dad.
I'm sorry so much. Condolences.
- But you worked together? Was that so?
- Yes, or ... yes.
Konrad was a friend.
He contacted me.
I did not believe
dad had some friends
We were maybe more colleagues than friends then.
I'm interested in his work.
I need to see some papers and ...
Take a look inside the work room.
I have a meeting with the funeral agency.
- Is it okay?
- Yes, yes. It's not going to bother him anyway.
Thank you.
Hello. This is Marit.
Low wooden house.
Next to a big yellow one.
Ok, yes. But I'm here.
Fuck me!
Hi, Kristian.
How do we know that the yellow dots are not really red?
How do we know when is human-made or nature's own quakes?
As I said, is the construction work and blasting.
- Yes, but how do we know?
- Entrepreneurs report it.
- They report any blasting?
- They report projects.
So the contractor measures the heat for the whole building period?
Yes, in principle.
-Are there any construction works in the Oslofjord Tunnel?
-Yes
- Call that contractor.
- Kristian, it will be a little ...
Please? Do me this favor, then I'll stop bothering you.
If it were not construction work there that day...
...what was it then?
- It will take some phones, ok?
- Thank you.
Gamlebyen
1.2 Km from downtown Oslo
- Hi, Sondre.
- Hi Dad.
You have to greet Mia, my girlfriend.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- I'm luck to find you now.
- I live here.
Of course.
Are you on your way, or?
- Yes, we're going to the cinema.
- Maybe we'll talk later, then?
- Yes.
Nice to meet you.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- You look nice.
- Thanks.
You too.
- And Julia?
- She actually got up.
She forgot this.
Tomorrow she has a test at the opera
What? Is she singing?
She dances ballet.
You can come and see. Do you want that?
- If you have time?
- Of course.
She will be happy to see you.
It was very stupid what happened to Julia in Geiranger.
We both know I do not give up easily.
It looks so lovely to just lay down and have a small breakdown.
You should try it.
It's pretty nice.
Idun?
What I'm going to tell now,
will sound completely insane.
I do not want you to be afraid.
Okay, it's an old farm,
but it's the second time in a week.
It looks okay here.
A little hot, maybe.
Hold it, please.
Can I get some light? Hello?
Can I get some light, Kristian?
What do we do then?
Idun, that's fine.
It's okay.
I understand why you left me.
What I tried to...
Kristian. I was not who left you. You left us.
- Hi.
- Hello. It will be fun to watch!
Mom? When does Dad come today?
No, I do not know when, but he knows when it begins.
Dad is coming and watching today.
- Are you excited?
- Good luck!
- Good luck!
- Hello? Hello?
- I'm in here.
- What are you doing?
- Your father was doing something very important.
I almost locked the house and leave.
Have you never had a feeling that something's going to happen, but you do not know what?
I have grown up with a father that always had that feeling.
He could not drive past a stone without taking a bit home.
Have you read it?
But he was speculating.
Yes. He may have at the time.
He was right in that if a quake hits Oslo today...
- Let's say it's not the same strength as in 1904, let's say a 6.
Or 8. It is not twice as strong.
It's a million times stronger.
Thousands of people are going to die.
I must actually go.
Did you find what you were looking for?
- You can take what you want.
- It can be tough for you to hear.
But there are things which are more important than a daughter.
A son. A family.
Okay.
Nevertheless, I have to leave.
I have to choose songs for my dad's funeral.
Because he was doing something important when he died at the Oslofjord Tunnel.
Do you know why I think he was there?
- No.
- Because he would save you.
You and many others.
I need to see that tunnel.
I will not go down that tunnel.
Don't you wonder what he was doing down there?
This is important.
Clear.
You? Can't we just go?
Wait.
Take it and hold it.
Can I have some light here?
- Kristian!
- I'm coming!
- Hi, Idun.
- Hi. Where are you?
- I'm so sorry.
- Are you coming or?
I was on my way and something happened, so I was delayed.
- Okay? Are you far away?
- I ...
Kristian? Are you there?
Hello?
Are you there? Hello?!
Do you hear that I'm talking to you now?
- I hear you.
- Are you coming or not?
- We're on our way.
- What?
Hello? Idun?
Do you hear me? Idun? Hello?
Julia!
Julia!
Idun?
Kristian ...
- Hi! Have you seen Julia?
- I think she's up there.
- Hi, you must leave!
- Julia!
- Have you seen my daughter?
- You have to go outside!
I'm looking for my girl!
She is in the show.
Listen what I'm saying. There is nobody here.
Everyone has gone outside.
It's not safe to be here now.
You have to get out.
Julia?
Hi. Are you OK?
Are you okay?
My girl. Come on.
We have to get out.
- Where is Dad?
- He did not come. It goes well well.
We have to get out. Come on,
my girl. Come on, you're fine.
Come to me.
Come. There you go.
- Hello? Idun?
- We are on our way home. Just come.
- I will be there at once.
- Good.
- Johannes. It was a shame, right?
- What are you doing here?
They contacted you.
It was an earthquake, right?
There has been a movement,
and that is what we are going to figure out now.
A movement?
You see what's going on here now?
Now I just have to get my job done.
Hi!
That is Oslo.
Do you know what Konrad did?
In the tunnel? He took rock samples.
That's the rock sample he didn't take.
Just give me a minute.
Kristian, that stone there.
It proves nothing.
We know from before that the mountain around the Oslofjord tunnel is not strong.
That there is a shake in the Oslofjord tunnel
does not mean an earthquake is on its way.
It just means a new accident in Norway's most accidentally burdened tunnel.
John, your yellow dots ...
The shroud is hidden behind the blasting.
The blasts are just camouflage.
See.
Look at that column. It's not about blasting or camouflage.
This is about a construction error.
The movement we recorded created the opera itself as it sank together.
If there had been a tremble, had any of us be standing here right now?
The whole of Bjrvika is built on marine clay.
It's like jelly in a child's birthday.
A little puff in one corner, and everything else is shaking.
You have a power failure.
You have...
There can be a thousand reasons to a power failure.
I know it's not easy.
You've been in the midst of a disaster.
I can not imagine what you've been through.
But that does not mean that there are accidents wherever you are.
Can you please go now?
Kristian! What is going on?
Go home.
...a construction error in one of the...
...can have many reasons.
That's where we want to go and examine carefully now.
It became very dramatic too
the young people gathered at the opera in Oslo...
Where did you go?
Why did not you come?
Forgive me.
I'm sorry.
But I'm here now.
Why are you here?
Why are you coming here?
What do you want?
I don't know.
I'm looking for disasters everywhere
We miss you.
You can not at least try to be a little daddy?
- Idun, you do not understand ...
- What do I don't understand?
What I don't understand?
I was in Geiranger, I and...
You did everything you could, Kristian.
You save a lot of people.
Your family survived.
We were lucky.
We are here. All together.
So your computer has registered that the power went off at the Opera House at 20:05:18?
And the accident itself happened some seconds later, say 20:05:30?
Good, thank you.
We are talking. Hello.
Can you give me time for the movement in the Opera yesterday?
It is registered at 20:04:57.
Yes.
Oi! Shit!
I just step into some water.
Okay. Yes. I am on my way now.
I'll look at it.
I got quite wet.
Hello.
Hello.
Are you ready for this, Dad?
Whole family package and ...?
I hope so.
- So do you get a little..., or?
- I hope so.
Yes, that's good.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Where are you going?
- I'm going to the university.
- Now?
- Yes.
- Do you want food?
- No. Here. Good bye.
Good bye.
Are you and mom together now?
To be honest, I don't know.
- Hi.
- Hi. I have to show you something.
Yes, that is the whole business.
Explosions and greater work.
In the entire Oslo area. No, there is no need to worry.
We are studying which urges a little. Thanks for that.
John? Look at this.
It looks like some sort of a system.
A warning system.
Gas.
- Gas killed those rats!
- Gas?
- a leak outbreak
- Hi.
What kind of breakup?
Toxic gases that leak out of the pores from a mountain.
Lake Nyos in Cameroon, 1986.
Gas? I thought it was an earthquake you were scared of?
Yes, that's what I'm afraid of.
And that's happening now.
Go get dressed now!
Nausea is a physiological process where we repel...
Put on your seat belt. We shall go get mom.
Answer your phone!
What? Tell me. Come on, Idun.
I do not know what to say.
Wasn't he out in the autumn vacation?
Has he become normal again now?
Right now he is.
Yes. What happens next time he gets weird?
Hey! Don't worry.
Just drive. Drive!
Such close cultures like England and Norway ...
- You. Again?
- Sorry.
Read it up if it's so important.
Where were we?
- What is it?
- Nothing.
- Why do we drive so fast?
- Police Emergency Phone.
I have placed
four bombs at the university.
- They blow up in ten minutes.
- At University?
- Left here!
- I can not.
Dad, wait.
- I will be back soon.
- Do not go.
I will be back soon. I promise.
I'm just gonna go get your mom.
Stay here with Marit.
Can you promise it? Please?
- Marit? Watch out for Julia!
- Daddy!
That is correct. Hi.
I'll take a look at it.
Can I call you back?
Idun Oakland. I have to talk to her now. There has been an accident.
- Where is she?
- Idun?
- I think she's at 34.
- 34?
- 34th floor.
- To hell.
Inner elevator and take it all the way up.
Hi, Kristian.
Have you not seen anything on the screens
yet? Soon you will get big results.
- If we are not prepared...
- We already have...
Then, take action and call someone.
Start warning people!
- We must talk afterwards.
- There will be nothing afterwards.
Call any agencies. I do not know.
Turn on the sirens. John?
Metaphorically speaking correctly, and then the dating process is...
Mia, we gotta get out. Now.
I have a very bad feeling.
Wait.
Perhaps we will leave the scene?
Yes, okay. Notice the metaphors used for the animals hunting ...
- Move. I will deliver some goods.
- Can not move. You just drive past me?
I can't move now.
Julia?
Julia?
Julia! Julia!
Give me two seconds.
- Hi.
- You have to come with me now. Everyone must get out.
- There's an earthquake coming. Now!
- Kristian, be nice and calm down.
We cannot be here. It's the worst place to be. Come now!
Kristian, calm down.
If there was an earthquake, would anyone know about it and notify?
There is no one who can alert. Come!
I'll be with you, then we'll take a cup of coffee and talk about it. Ok?
Sorry everyone.
Sorry, we must leave the building now!
Are you aware what such a fake alarm will costs?
Julia!
You press the fire alarm. The elevator goes
automatically down to the first floor.
What is Julia doing here?
- An interesting transformation...
- Come on, we're going out.
- What?
- You? Now I've had enough of you!
- The alarm went, so if everyone could go out...
- The alarm has stopped.
Sit down or get out.
- You should join everyone.
- Sit down or get out.
Everyone go quietly.
Keep calm and walk to the stairs.
Everyone needs to leave.
No signal?
Hello?
John?
Down! Down!
Julia!
Idun.
Idun? Idun?
Are you okay?
Look at me.
Look at me. Are you okay?
Are you okay?
Say something! Please.
Idun?
Julia!
Hi. Can you hear me?
Are you okay, Julia?
Can you grab her? And then you pull her.
Okay, on three.
Can you pull?
One two Three!
Drag!
Julia! Julia!
We are going to do this.
But we have to do it together.
The both of us.
There is an opening down there.
Are you okay?
Stay here. Press as hard as you can.
Julia, run up there!
Now! Run!
Hold on
No!
Grab something!
Julia!
Idun? Idun! Move!
Idun?
Can you move?
Aftershocks will follow. We have to get away from here.
First we need to get down and get out through the opening.
Then we get Julia.
- Okay.
- No.
Idun?
Idun? Stand there.
Then, I will through you this cord over there.
You can do it. Come on.
I will catch you.
Julia is waiting for us up there. Come on.
Come on. Move over there.
Come on. There you go.
Very good.
I'll through it over now, then you catch it.
Are you ready? I'm throughing it now.
Just hold on to it.
I'll catch you. Come on!
Hold on!
You just have to climb a little.
Just a little bit, I'll get you.
- Kristian ...
Come on!
Come on.
I can't.
Please? Please?
I love you.
Do not say that. Please.
Just a little bit more.
- You have to pick up Julia.
- Idun! No!
Now you climb up! A little bit!
Then I'll grab you.
Do you hear what I'm saying?
A few centimeters, then I'll take you.
Please?
Just a little closer.
There... yes! Come! Come!
Help!
Help!
- Marit?
- We're down here!
- Julia!
- Daddy!
She is here! Help!
I'm coming!
Dad!
I thought I'd lost you.
Let me look at you.
Where is Mommy?
Where is Mommy?
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Don't go.
Look at me. I'll be here.
I promise.
Thanks.
You must listen to me now.
We must get out of here. Ok?
Come.
- No!
- Julia!
Julia!
Julia!
Dad!
Julia!
Dad!
- Daddy!
- Julia! Just stay completely still now!
Julie! Don't move.
- Marit! Come down!
- I'm coming!
Dad!
Marit!
Marit!
- I need you to catch Julia.
- Yes.
I'm going to swing her over.
Are you ready?
Julia, I'm going to swing you over. On the count of three.
One... Two...
...Three.
- Let go!
Julia, you have to let go.
I'll hold you, Julia.
You have to let me go now.
- Julia, let go of daddy!
- Let me go!
Earthquake activity in Norway is the highest in Europe, north of the Alps. Daily quakes are constantly recorded in Oslograben and in the entire country.
Scientists agree that we may expect bigger earthquakes in the future. Nobody knows when they'll happen.
Norwegian texts:Lise Weggersen
Scandinavian Text Service 2018
English translation: EduardoNET