Overflowing river hits bridge in southern Norway
Overflowing river hits bridge in southern Norway
Overnight storms have triggered floods and landslides in south-western Norway, local media reported on Friday, the latest country in Europe to be hit by severe weather.

The rainfall subsided on Friday morning, meteorologist Julie Solsvik Vågane told broadcaster NRK, but flood and landslide warnings remain in place.

So far no one has been reported missing or injured due to the storms, according to police.

Access to the town of Odda - home to some 5,000 people some 60 kilometres south-east of Bergen - was cut off on Friday morning after a bridge collapsed. All other access roads to the town were closed due to the storms.

The mayor of Odda described the situation as "dramatic" when speaking to news agency NTB on Thursday evening.



A cellar belonging to the historic Hotel Ullensvang north of Odda was flooded overnight, NRK reported. Numerous antiques and works of art were said to be stored in the hotel's basement.

On Friday afternoon, the storm had moved on to Sweden. The Swedish meteorological service warned of strong winds with local squalls, especially in the south and east of the country.

Several train connections were suspended, and at times more than 12,000 households in southern Sweden were affected by power outages, electricity provider E.ON said.

It comes after more than 200 people were killed by devastating floods in Spain earlier this week, with dozens still missing.

DPA