Eastern Norway has been hit by one of the worst floods in over 20 years. King Harald and Queen Sonja have visited the areas that have been affected by floods and the storm “Hans”.
King Harald and Queen Sonja visited the flood area in the Drammen region after the King had attended his weekly Council of state where the floodings were also the top priority.
The royal couple started their visit in Mjøndalen, where they met the local population and personnel who work on site. The king and queen also met representatives of the Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy.
The extreme weather has affected areas in southern Norway as well as parts of Sweden, causing landslides, floods and damage to infrastructure and property, especially in the Norwegian counties of Innlandet and Viken. In Norway, 4.000 people have been evacuated and two dams have collapsed.
The visit of the king and queen was announced just hours before it took place. It was also confirmed that the Crown Prince will visit flood-affected areas in Hole, Ringerike and Søndre Land in the coming days.
