Norwegian mountain at severe risk of collapse - homes evacuated

Mount Mannen southwest of Trondheim, Norway, is about to collapse for the fifth consecutive year. Since 2009, the mountain has been under surveillance of government and rescue services, as there has been a great risk of a rocks falling.

Last year, residents were evacuated in the area and Norway´s water and energy agency NVE pumped water into cracks in the rock to try to develop a controlled, partial collapse in order to relive pressure. The attempt failed and now homes are being evacuated for the fourth year in a row. Those evacuated live in residential buildings and summer cottages near the foothills.

The risk of collapse is set to the highest level - "extreme" - and the tracks where the train passes the mountain is closed off until further notice.

Mount Mannen is 1,294 meters high and is located on the western side of Romsdalen in Rauma municipality.

Geologists have feared that a larger rock slide can occur at any time, but so far the unstable part of the mountain remains in place.