Instructions for Formatting Your Manuscript
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
An extraordinary avalanche winter in Troms, Norway Special avalanche conditions – and the Tromdalen avalanche disaster. Ragnar Glomseth1,2, Tor André Skjelbakken1, Knut Fredriksen2,3 1Tromsø Red Cross Avalanche Rescue Team, Jonas Lies gt 31, 9009 Tromsø 2Anaestehsia and Critical Care Research Group, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, 3Division of Emergency Medical Services, University Hospital of North Norway, 9038 Tromsø. KEYWORDS: Avalanche, rescue, accident ABSTRACT This winter (12/13) was one of the most challenging ever for the regional avalanche rescue team in Tromsø, Norway, with (per 26 April) a total of 17 avalanche callouts and major incidents and several minor incidents. Six people died in four fatal avalanches. At least four other were caught without being buried in the snow. Two of the survivors used inflatable avalanche backpacks. In addition several highways and regional roads were frequently closed, often for long periods of time because of avalanches or avalanche danger. One road was closed for seven days before the ten meter deep avalanche debris could be cleared. The most significant and challenging event was the avalanche in Tromdalen, Senja, South of Tromsø on 26 March. Three snowmobilers were killed in the accident, and due to avalanche danger in an obvious terrain trap at the scene of the accident, the rescue operation had to be postponed for ten days. When rescue finally was safe it involved 300 rescuers from the police, volunteers, military and private organisations. The remaining avalanche danger on scene had to be cleared by use of Daisy Bell and military explosives. Debris was removed using two pisten bully and one excavator. The operation took four days before all three victims were located and removed, making this the largest avalanche rescue operation in Norway. Corresponding author address: Ragnar Glomseth, Naustbuktvegen 27 , 9107 Kvaløya, Norway. Tel: +47 992 40 129, email: [email protected] 1148 Except from the cities the county is very sparsely 1 BACKGROUND populated (average 6 inhabitants/sq km) and there are only two highways (E6 and E8) through the The city Tromsø is located at almost 70 °N is the county. county capitol of Troms. The city has a population of almost 70.000, approximately half of the entire population of the county. The western, coastal part of the county has an alpine topography with mountains ranging up 1800 meters from the seashore. In Tromsø there is a University with approximately 15.000 students and staff. The University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsø, which is the Norwegian hospital with most extensive experience in treating avalanche victims, holds the world record for resuscitation from accidental 1 hypothermia . Norway Troms Schweiz Area (km2) 324.000 26.000 41.000 Population (millions) ≈ 5 0,15 ≈ 8 2 Density (people/km ) 35 6 188 Avalanche fatalities 2012/13 82 6 213 4 Fatalities per 1000 capita (last season) 0,0016 0,04 0,026 Table 1. Norway and Troms compared to Switzerland 1 Gilbert M, Busund R, Skagseth A, Nilsen PA, Solbø JP.; Resuscitation from accidental hypothermia of 13.7 degrees C with circulatory arrest.; Lancet. 2000 Jan 29;355(9201):375-6.; 1 2 http://www. ngi.no/no/snoskred/Ulykker/ 3 http://www.slf.ch/praevention/lawinenunfaelle/unfa elle_aktuell/index_EN 4 Tourists not included. 1149 has been relatively stable since 1986, when 16 2 AVALANCHES DURING 2000-2009 IN NORWAY soldiers were killed in the Vassdalen-avalanche. AND TROMS The average has changed dramatically the last four years, and the increase has been particularly During the previous decade there were 43 or profound in the county of Troms. In the years 2010, typically 2-4 avalanche fatalities per year in 2011, 2012 and 2013 there was 10, 13, 7 and 8 Norway. 11 of the 43 occurred in Troms (26% or fatalities in tota, and of these 2, 1, 5 and 6 approximately one per year). The yearly average occurred in Troms. Figure 1. Avalanche fatalities in Norway last ten years showing a significant increase the last four years. 1150 Figure 2. Comparison of avalanche fatalities in Norway as a whole versus the county of Troms. The increase in Troms has been significantly higher than the rest of Norway. The relatively stable one fatality per year in Troms has increased dramatically to five and six the last two years. 3 ALL NORWEGIAN FATAL AVALANCHES THE WINTER OF 2012/13 IN TROMS: 3.1 AND THE REST OF NORWAY: 17.03.13: Snowboarder in backcountry area, Kattfjordeidet, Tromsø 5 24.12.12: Snowboarder in "Totten", in the ski resort 24.03.13: Off-piste skier, near the Kroken ski-lift, in Hemsedal.8 Tromsø6 03.01.13: Alpine Climber in Skogshorn mountain in 26.03.13: Three snowmobilers in remote back- Hemsedal9 country area of Tromdalen, Senja, Troms7 21.04.13: Skier on a guided tour, Kåfjord, Troms 5 http://www.ngi.no/upload/Snøskred/Ulykkesrapport er/ulykker_2013_17mars_Kattfjordeidet.pdf 8 6 http://www.ngi.no/upload/Snøskred/Ulykkesrapport http://www.ngi.no/upload/Snøskred/Ulykkesrapporter er/ulykker_2013_24mars_Kroken.pdf /ulykker_2012_Des24_Hemsedal.pdf 7 9 http://www.ngi.no/upload/Snøskred/Ulykkesrapporter http://www.ngi.no/upload/Snøskred/Ulykkesrapporter /ulykker_2013_26mars_Senja.pdf /ulykker_2013_3jan_skogshorn.pdf 1151 4 WEATHER AND SNOW SITUATION Figure 3. The image shows a typical quick-pit recorded to http://www.regobs.no/ this winter. The loose faceted layer between 140 and 150 cm was present as a continuous weak layer in all aspects in the whole county. A very thin ice crust or a thin, hard layer of melt-frozen crystal was commonly found on top of this layer. Most of the avalanches in the last part of the winter were triggered on this hard layer. The layer was also present in the Langfjellaksla, Kroken and Tromdalen avalanche sites. See Appendix Timeline for a meteogram. We believe that the faceted snow layer may have depth increased almost 50 cm in the city and on 24 been formed during the cold and dry first weeks of March the next fatal accident occurred (Appendix: February. The last week of February was warm 11). This marked the start of a series (Appendix: (+5C) and humid (80 mm precipitation in three 12,,20) of avalanche incidents, including the triple days). It did probably rain as high as 1000 m asl. fatal Tromdalen accident (Appendix: 13), taking a This is probably tha cause of the ice/melt-frozen great toll on the volunteer avalanche rescue team. crust. In mid April the temperature increased considerably (+10 °C at 17 April) causing several The warm period was followed by snow. The snow new avalanches (Appendix: 21,,25, 27) in the end depth in the city of Tromsø increased by almost 30 of the season. cm in a few days, and the snowfall was even more The last avalanche period this winter was during profound in the surrounding mountains. This led to mid May, when the temperature increased to 20 °C several avalanche incidents (Appendix: 7,8,9) at and caused numerous sun-triggered avalanches 17March the first fatal accident occurred (Appendix: 29,,31) (Appendix, Table: 10). After a week with less precipitation snow showers reappeared during the Easter holiday. The snow 1152 5 ORGANISATION OF RESCUE SERVICES the situation through a conference telephone call and and an initial tactical plan is made. The team The police in Tromsø operates the emergency member and the dog handler closest to the telephone (112) and is the Local Rescue helicopter base will join the helicopter crew and Coordination Centre (LRCC) for the northern part become the initial first response team. The other of the county of Troms. All incidents described member of the team will start out using ground here lie within the Tromsø LRCC catchment area. transport in the direction of the avalanche site. The available resources in the district include police avalanche dogs, an ambulance-helicopter, Other avalanche team members are in the county a volunteer avalanche rescue team and several may live closer to the scene and may arrive on volunteer rescue organisations. There are two scene first and may start the initial search before large rescue helicopters in Northern Norway, the helicopter team arrives.. The ambulance located in Bodø and Banak, but they are located helicopter may be busy with ambulance missions more than one hour flying time away from Tromsø and not be immediately available for the initial and therefore rarely a relevant first response response resource. When an avalanche is reported to 112 the police immediately scrambles all available resources. The avalanche rescue team is quickly is briefed with The first responders are followed by available or necessary resources. The Red Cross, People Aid, 6 THE TROMDALEN AVALANCHE Rescue Dog have many trained volunteer (unpaid) rescuers - most with considerable real avalanche At 26 March at 16.38 hours the regional rescue experience. The second wave of responders will authorities received a call-out to the Senja island bring more heavy equipment such as heavy for three missing snowmobilers. Friends had shovels, long probes, power generators and light, followed snowmobile-tracks until they disappeared and communication equipment. If the operation is into an avalanche in a narrow valley. It was an large or takes long time the governmental Civil accurate and alarming message that triggered Defence organisation and even the Army and mobilisation of all available resources. AirForce may be used. 1153 The three missing men were on Easter holiday in their cabins in Svanelvdalen valley together with The following day the weather was still bad and the their families, which they left at about 12 this fatal risk of further search was considered still Tuesday. Two of the men were brothers.