Challenges in Ålesund once more

In the morning at 0337 am  March 26th 2008 about 2000 - 3000 cubic meter of Ålesund city mountain break loose in a landslide. A house with 20 residents at sleep were hit and the modern house from 2003/04 partly collapsed. A Gas tank is on fire and can explode.
Between 500 and 1000 persons were evacuated around the catastrophic area. 5 persons died in the accident. The house is now rebuilt.

Yesterday morning we wake up to another catastrophic message from Ålesund. The Costal Liner (hurtigruten)´s ship "Nordlys" was on fire just outside the harbor. They managed to get the ship to quay and firefighters started to get control over the dramatic situation. The ship had about 10 degree heel. Two persons are reported dead so far.

This morning the incline had increased to 21.7 degrees and the possibility for ship capsizing was imminent.

Later this heeling is stabilized and water is pumped out of the ship.
Maybe the three years old full scale testing of Ålesund city´s emergency and contingency plans now show off and that this situation also will end as successfully as possible. Everybody seems happy that the accident did not happen further out at sea.