Åkernesrivna

In the mountains to the west lies the Åkernesrivna crevice, which reveals the true nature of our landscape, and reminds us that daily perils are not confined to the past. High up on the mountain there is a 600-metre crevice. At its widest, it is about 25 metres across. Should the entire mountainside come loose, 54 million cubic metres of rock will plunge into the fjord. It’s impossible to imagine. But in a worst-case scenario, the rock will create a flood wave, a tsunami, that will tower 85 metres above Hellesylt, and 70 metres above Geiranger. There would be virtually nothing left of these villages, and all the other communities along the Storfjord would also be affected. Still – we sleep well at night, for the mountain is being monitored by state-of-the art equipment. Can you spot the heliport up there, or see the equipment blinking in the sun? If the mountain moves, the movement will be registered by the instruments. If the movements are on a scale that spells danger, the alarm will be triggered, and people will be evacuated to safe areas. We have had drills, so we know what to do. History has taught us what sort of tragedy a tsunami can bring, so we want to make sure that no-one loses their life the next time it happens.