Central Norway was hit by storm Ingun, the strongest in the last 30 years. In some parts, hurricane-force winds were blowing, up to 180 kilometers per hour. The Meteorological Service has issued the highest, red alarm.
Police spokesman in the Troendelag region, Bjornar Gasvik, told Norwegian news agency NTB that the public safety agency received between 40 and 50 reports from people affected by the storm overnight, and that more are expected today.
Northeast of Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, a bus carrying 14 passengers ran off the road, but police said no one was injured.
Some areas were flooded, and airlines and ferries were temporarily suspended.
Some schools were closed yesterday and today, as well as roads, tunnels and bridges.
Officials say it is still too early to assess the extent of property damage.
Hurricane-force winds also blew in Sweden during the night. The Swedish Meteorological Agency has issued a red warning for the western part of Norbottens county, which borders Norway.
The storm hit the same area as a hurricane on New Year’s Eve 1992, which was one of the strongest storms in Norway’s history, VG newspaper writes.
