Tag Archives: landslide
ROAD BETWEEN SKJÆRINGA AND HUSET CLOSED: Avalanche danger due to overnight blizzard and forecast of more storms closes road indefinitely (UPDATE: reopen 3 p.m. Wed.)

Update 1 p.m. Wednesday: The road will open at 3 p.m. today, according to the city.
Original story: The road at the base of mountains on the west side of Longyearbyen between Skjæringa and Huset is closed indefinitely due to the threat of avalanches following a storm overnight, officials said Tuesday.
Soggy Saturday: Nearly 25mm of rain possible during weekend storm; road between Huset and Museumsveien closed due to landslide danger
Briefs from Svalbardposten for the week of June 26, 2018
Briefs from Svalbardposten for the week of Nov. 13, 2016
New abnormal: How often will we have to evacuate homes this winter due to extreme storms? And for good later?

We may be in for a winter of discontent, but that’s far preferable to another time of tragedy.
Hundreds of Longyearbyen residents were forced to evacuate their homes for the second time in less than a year earlier this month due to extreme weather and officials said it’s entirely possible more will occur in the near future. What nobody can realistically predict, of course, is just how often.
Random weirdness for the week of Nov. 8, 2016
STORM ALERT: All evacuations lifted; community meeting Nov. 23 will review incident and focus on coming winter

All evacuations in Longyearbyen resulting from near-record rainfall and warm temperatures Monday and Tuesday have been lifted, The Governor of Svalbard announced Thursday afternoon.
Most people forced to evacuate homes, dorms and guest accommodations were allowed to return home Wednesday evening, but the order remained in effect for a cluster of apartments at Vei 232 and the dog kennels just outside town. After consulting with city leaders and experts at The University Centre in Svalbard Thursday morning, the governor lifted the final restrictions at about 2 p.m.
STORM ALERT: Evacuations lifted for all areas except apartments at Vei 232 and the dog kennels

An evacuation order affecting 259 people has been lifted for nearly all areas as of 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to The Governor of Svalbard.
The order remains in place for residences 522 to 544 on Vei 232 and for the dog kennels just outside of Longyearbyen, with a new assessment of those areas scheduled Thursday. The order has been lifted for those living or staying in Nybyen, the vicinity of Svalbard Church and apartment complexes along Vei 222.
STORM UPDATE: Evacuations to continue indefinitely, but hillside study and status update coming this evening
STORM UPDATE: Wednesday a lot like Tuesday, except not as wet

There’s still rain in the forecast. Temperatures are still well above freezing. There will be another mid-day helicopter survey of the hillsides. And another early afternoon meeting of emergency officials. And sometime later this afternoon we’ll learn if some or all of us will be allowed to return home.