Motorway between Sweden and Norway shut down after massive landslide

On the morning of September 23, 2023, a large landslide caused the collapse of a motorway stretch between Gothenburg in Sweden and Oslo in Norway. The landslide has resulted in three injuries and is currently under police investigation. The incident took place near the small Swedish town of Stenungsund and has significantly impacted the E6 motorway in both directions.

Early Saturday, a landslide tore through the E6 motorway near Stenungsund, a small Swedish town located between Gothenburg and Oslo. The severe damage extends from a petrol station car park to a Burger King restaurant, overturning lorries and collapsing the restaurant’s roof. In total, approximately 10 vehicles were affected, along with an adjacent forest and commercial area.

The affected area covers a large diameter of 500 m (1 640 feet), stated August Brandt, a police spokesperson. Specifically, the most severely damaged section measures 100 m x 150 m (330 x 500 feet). However, the overall damaged area spans 700 m by 200 m (2 300 x 650 feet), according to emergency services.

Three individuals sustained injuries in the landslide. Uladzislau Miklash, a lorry driver, reported sliding within his parked vehicle as the event occurred. Search and rescue teams, along with specially trained dogs, are combing through the collapsed roadway for any additional victims. Emergency services also aided in rescuing several people trapped inside their vehicles.

Swedish police have opened an investigation into “aggravated public destruction,” although there is currently no definitive link between the ongoing construction project in the vicinity and the motorway’s collapse. Investigators plan to question construction site staff about any possible correlation between the landslide and nearby blasting works.

Authorities have closed the E6 motorway in both directions, diverting traffic via road 650. Lidia Bradaric, alarm and management operator at Greater Gothenburg’s emergency services, confirmed the closure. The closure is anticipated to last for several weeks, leading to what authorities describe as an “enormous” impact on traffic for an extended period.

Due to the lingering risk of further landslides, police have cordoned off a large section of the motorway, and the public is advised to steer clear of the area.

Rescue operations continue to focus on the affected vehicles and infrastructure, including a petrol station where a large crack runs across the landscape from one side of the road to the other. Emergency services have not yet ruled out the possibility of additional landslides.

References:

¹ Large chunk of Swedish motorway collapses after landslide – The Local – September 23, 2023

Featured image credit: CGTN (stillshot)