Radar protects against landslides in Stryn

- Fyllkesveien in Oldedalen has become safer. Radar and light signals will warn of possible avalanches this winter," says project manager Silje Storevik Moe of Vestland County Council.

The facility in Oldedalen is the most modern and most recently established avalanche monitoring centre currently in operation.

Avalanche season

- The avalanche season is counted from 1 November. "This is the date for winter operations for the facilities we have established. They are now in operation and close the traffic with light warnings if avalanches are triggered," says Lars Krangnes of Cautus Geo.

Cautus Geo has installed several of the country's just under 20 warning systems. The systems that protect against landslides can have radar and/or geophones.

Cautus Web

- Data is continuously analysed on site. All information about incidents is stored in Cautus Web. In the event of a landslide, road users are warned with traffic lights," says Krangnes.

The county road in Oldedalen has been monitored since March this year. The facility is now in the operational phase.

- "We've used the period from March to now to calibrate, i.e. to set the system correctly. Even minor landslides will result in a red light for road users, so we can reopen quickly if the landslide does not reach the county road," says Moe.

Three avalanche races

There are several landslide points in Oldedalen. Three of them have now been secured. These are the Heimefonna, Sandvika/Bukkeskora and Kroka avalanches. They are all part of a common system that covers a distance of 1.6 kilometres. A lighting system with six stop points provides road users with safe safety zones.

- "The most important thing for us is to safeguard life and health with a safer road. Now we have better data, more knowledge and a better basis for adjusting the lighting system and a better knowledge base for assessing the risk of landslides on other parts of the road as well," says Moe.

450 cars

The county road is very busy during the tourist season. In the winter, the volume of traffic drops significantly, but every day 450 cars drive past the landslide areas. 90 of the vehicles are heavy goods vehicles. This winter, everyone will pass more safely.

- "We've done a lot of testing, including with the road traffic centre. They are responsible for reopening the road if landslides reach the carriageway," says Moe.

The layout for Oldedalen

• Three landslide courses are monitored by radar.
• Data is sent to Cautus Web.
• Camera monitors and documents landslides.
• Light alarms have been installed in six places over a distance of 1.6 kilometres.
• The road traffic centre can see landslides when they occur.
• The road is automatically reopened if the avalanche does not reach the road.