Norway: Massive sinkhole in Levanger engulfs motorway and railway; one dead

A massive sinkhole tore through Norway’s E6 motorway and an adjacent railway line in the town of Levanger, leaving one person dead and forcing evacuations, authorities said Saturday.

Police confirmed that a Danish worker at the site went missing and is presumed dead, reported AFP. Photos shared by Norwegian media showed both lanes of the motorway and the adjacent tracks swallowed by a gaping hole stretching several dozen metres across.

The Norwegian company responsible for railway infrastructure said it had been carrying out soil-stabilisation work when the collapse occurred but stressed, “It is too early to say whether the works could have triggered the sinkhole,” according to broadcaster NRK.

Experts quoted by NTB news agency, cited by AFP, pointed to the region’s clay-heavy soil, which is prone to sudden ground collapses.

As a precaution, authorities evacuated two nearby homes. The Norwegian road administration said the E6 motorway will remain closed for several days in the affected area.