On the night of the 15th of January 1905
something intruded into people's deepest slumbers.
When a huge mountain landslide in Lodalen in Nordfjord
caused a huge flood which killed 63 people.
The floodwaters swept went through Lovatnet 40 metres high.
It's 58 years since the Tafjord catastrophe in Sunnmøre.
When 40 people lost their lives after a huge boulder tumbled into the lake.
Research shows there are 300 unstable mountains in Norway today.
Everybody knows that it's just a matter of time before the next major landslide.
Geiranger fears that it will suffer the next big catastrophe .
Hanging over the town of Åkerneset on the narrow inlet
A giant unstable massive mountain is ready to crumble.
Plunging 7 million cubic meters of rock down into the narrow inlet
creating an enormous tsunami.
The cracks are already widening. No other place has such geological activity.
The question is can people be warned before the mountain collapses into the narrow inlet.
VÅGEN – "THE WAVE"
What's this? I am 40! Come on!
– Hello? – Hi Dad.
– What is happening? – Mum is fixing the sink.
Can you give me a pair of pliers?
Can't we call a plumber? Here.
I don't need a plumber, but can you get me the plumber's wrench?
– It's in there. – Here mom.
– How do you know what that wrench looks like? – Everybody knows.
So there.
We won't need it when we move.
This house has soul.
– What do you mean by soul? – Soul is the sort of nonsense that mum believes in.
– What did you say? – I didn't say anything.
The apartment is brand new. It has a beautiful view.
Outside the door there's the whole town.
And everything is run by remote control.
– Lamps, music, blinds... – Pass me the broccoli.
And the thing I like most is
that you can lock and open the door with your mobile phone.
It has a key app.
– And you believe that? – No, I had to double-check.
I've never seen a key app before in my life! Come on!
Idun, what do you think? Shall we throw this away? Or...?
Toss your shirts away? Aren't they nice?
New place, new start...
OK. You know what?
I think you have to wear a suit. You need a suit and tie from now on.
Get a haircut. Get a nice style. This will be great
– We don't give a shit about that, we'll stay. – No, we have decided.
It'll be fine.
Maybe I can get more attention than the mountain.
Do you want attention?
– Shall I give you attention? – Don't tickle me!
No! Not on the kitchen counter!
We'll cook there in the morning.
Monitoring the landslide risk of Åknes/Geiranger 102.1 metres above sea level.
The Sixth to the seventh.
Is everything normal?
It's moved 0.3 mm over the last 24 hours. It's within the normal limit.
Hi. What's happening in the old oil town?
Same as usual. Bunch of suits.
– The classic outfit of the capitalists. – How long has it been?
Two days in the big city and he's a connoisseur now.
Yes, that's how it goes.
"Thanks for everything"... It sounds like you're buried.
Make the cake yourself next time then.
– I hope that will take a long time. – It looks absolutely stunning, Margot.
Yes...
Dear Kristian, remember that this is... your last day with us.
It sounds like a funeral...!
Here, Jacob.
Unfortunately it's not only here that we have mountains.
There are also mountains in the North Sea.
I understand the oil boys who want someone like you.
You're talented and devoted.
I speak for everybody here when I say you're going to be sorely missed.
– It gets boring. – Thank you.
But it's going to be bloody nice not to have to triple check everything we do.
– Cheers for that. – Cheers.
– Is that the fifth level as well? – It looks like that.
– What's happened? – The groundwater suddenly sank.
In the fourth and fifth level. And then we lost contact.
Can you show me?
– Get to camera A. – Two seconds.
Zoom in?
– There were no other movements? – No. Completely still.
– The connection can be poor. – It appears stable.
We'll have a peek next time we're up there. Can somebody turn off the bloody alarm?!
Kristian? Kristian!
The mountain is still. It is OK. Hurry and pack. We're in control.
– Look, I've got room for everything! – Great, honey.
– Shall I take these as well? – Yes, you can carry out the boxes.
– Shouldn't he help? – Yes, he should actually.
– Hi, how's the packing going? – It's going well.
That frown, Kristian... I thought it would have gone by now.
Something strange happened with the groundwater today.
It's not your job anymore.
That rock has stood for thousands of years and will stand securely for thousands more.
Now you have to finish packing so we can drive away tomorrow.
Pack that frown up too. So, let's go now!
– Can you see how mum is nagging dad? – Everyone has to do their bit, you know, dad.
How's it going, mate?
I really feel comfortable here.
I know that Geiranger is not the centre of the world...
But it's safe. It's home.
– I know that it's hard. – It's not that.
But mum and I made the decision we think is best for our family.
It's not always easy to be the one making the difficult choices.
But what will the next thing be?
When we've lived in Stavanger for a couple of years
Will it be up and out and we'll move again?
This whole damn country is made of stone.
What's happening here. Are you going to move?
Come here.
– You as well. – Me too.
Hi, Sondre.
We will see how long you can stand the asphalt...
And Kristian with a tie round his neck. That will be something completely new.
– We'll get used to it. – It will tighten around his neck.
– Are you ready? – Yes, just about.
The family will take the ferry today and I'll work a couple of days more.
– So you're not going now? – No, you're not quite rid of me yet.
– Dad, it's our turn. – Are you going to go or what?
Wait here. I won't be long.
– I bought the apartment and stuff. – Hi, I have to show you something.
Hotel Geiranger 1.7 meters above sea level.
– Hi, Vibeke. – You're finally here.
I was going to help you.
Welcome to Geiranger. Sorry to keep you waiting.
– I don't mind. – What's your name?
– Maria and Phillip Poulsen. – We'll see if we can find you a room.
– Has your family gone? – They should be on the ferry soon.
What if the problem's not with the sensors but the cables leading there.
Is that possible?
All mountains are made of plates. Our mountain is no exception.
Our drill holes go through all the plates.
You said that the groundwater disappeared just before we lost contact.
Groundwater can't vanish just like that.
It finds new ways, it makes new layers. It creates friction.
And that displaces the layers.
If the movement was big enough it could have cut the line.
Then we drill new holes and replace the sensors It's no big deal.
No.
But if the weight of the mountain's shift was big enough...
The cracks wouldn't widen before it falls.
And there will be no warning.
Control Station Ørnereidet 874.1 metres above sea level.
Gently now.
That is Geiranger's major tourist attraction.
When you're in such a beautiful place you want to see the narrow inlet.
I understand that. Just tell me if you need something. Bye for now!
Hi, Sondre. What?
Where are you now?
OK?
Shit!
Have we got contact?
– Do you have a picture? – Yes, we're watching you.
That's good to know.
– You check level four, and I'll take number five. – Yep.
Kristian?
– This isn't normal wear and tear. – No, it's clear that something happened.
There's quite a lot of movement in the mountain now. You get it?
Obviously we're going to investigate further. We'll sort it out.
What do you mean?
Do more tests, drill more holes.
More holes? Are you crazy? Do I have to remind you of what can happen?
We're talking about an 80 metre high wave here.
Ten minutes later there'd be no more Geiranger.
– We also know what can happen. – It doesn't seem like it.
What the hell do you want me to do?
Should I press this and cause complete panic?
And cut the tourist season short?
– Since when do you care about tourism? – That's not what it's about.
What happens–
– If we cry wolf every time we think something's happening up there?
What the hell will we do on the day it crashes down?
Tell us what we should do then.
Yellow alert. The station must be full manned. On call 24 hours up on the mountain.
Yes.
What do you think?
Are you just going to stand by and watch it happen?!
Jacob?
Kristian, listen. I understand you're upset.
I know you only want what's best but you have to calm down a bit.
We found the severed cables but nothing suggests we have to do anything.
The mountain is still, Kristian.
OK. Sorry.
I don't know what got into me.
I shouldn't...
We're not waiting here. Ring mum!
Oh, damn it, Jesus!
Geez... You are so fucking smoked.
You have a visitor.
Have you gone mad?
You can't put the kids in the car and then work for several hours.
– I know. I'm sorry. – You don't even work there anymore.
– I fucked up. – Yes, you did.
I've got a bad feeling that...
Yes. There'll be no Stavanger today.
– No. – OK.
You lot get to sleep in the hotel tonight.
– Cool. – We will? OK?
– Then you can try again tomorrow. – Yes.
– But I want to sleep at home. – It's completely empty, it won't be cosy anymore.
– I want to say goodbye to the house. – If you want to, let's do it. Come on.
Is that OK? – Let's go to the house.
– Are you coming? – No.
– I'm going to sort out a hotel room for you. – Yes, thanks.
Say goodbye from me too. So. Good night my darling.
Bye, mate. See you tomorrow.
– OK. Then we'll go and pack. – Can I take your name please?
My name is Sondre Eikjord.
– Can I sit in the front? – Of course you can.
OK, put your seatbelt on and tighten it.
OK, then we're ready.
– Dad. – Yes
– Are you and mum getting a divorce now? – No. No, we're not splitting up.
We had a little fight and then we made friends again.
Everything will be fine again.
I hope so.
– That's life. – That's life!
Here is your room.
So.
I hope the room meets your expectations.
– Make yourself comfortable. – I will be.
Can I go to work? Do you know what bottles you can't take from the minibar?
Yes, alright.
And which TV channels you can't watch?
Look after yourself.
Where are you going to sleep, dad?
I'll sleep in this.
I will sleep well on it.
So. Does it feel good?
We don't need a hotel.
– No, this has more soul. – Yes...
Yes, it really has it.
Dear Kristian. Thanks for all the great years. Good luck in Stavanger.
TSUNAMI DANGER ZONE
SHELTER
I acted like an idiot today. I'm Sorry.
– These beds are bloody terrible. – Yes.
What a shame it should finish like this. This thing with Kristian.
Do you think he'll stay in the oil industry a long time?
We'll see. He'll probably be back in a year.
When the mountains get hold of you they never let you go.
– What the hell, Arvid? – I read it in a book.
So that's what you did.
The Hurtigruten cruise ship means something special for people along the coast.
It's an incredibly beautiful trip.
Some call it the world's most beautiful voyage...
– Hi. – Hi.
Hello?
Mikal?
Damn!
Shit!
– Margot? – Yes?
Arvid? – Jacob?
Hello? Can you hear me?
– Arvid? – Yes, over.
We're getting strange data here.
It looks as if the mountain has been pulled together.
– That can't be right. – Several sensors show it.
Recalibrate the whole lot and take another reading.
OK.
– Are you ready for an evening trip? – Sure.
– We'll drive down and have a look. – Now?
Yes, so we can check it out.
We'll soon be down there.
Hello, yes, hi, you?
Yes, wait a moment. – It's Kristian.
– Hi. Are you missing this place already? – No, no, we're going tomorrow.
– Is everything OK up there? – Yes.
There are just a few sensors behaving a bit strangely.
They show contractions in the rock.
– Contractions? – Yes, but it's probably a mistake.
Arvid and Jacob are down there now checking it out so we'll soon know.
– OK. – I'll keep you updated.
– Thanks for that. We'll be in touch. See you. – Bye.
What the hell was that?
The geophone just recorded a quake here.
Yes, we felt it here too.
An additional minus 0.8 on C6.
Are you giving me data on C6?
1.72. Minus 2.6 over the last hour.
Holy shit.
Same here. Confirming the contraction.
Shall we check out number seven as well?
Yes, I'll take it. Bloody hell.
Landslide.
Are Arvid and Jacob still down there?
– Yes. All the data is correct. – Listen up. Get them up out of there at once.
– What do you mean? – Connect me with Arvid.
– Arvid? – Yes, over.
– Hold on a sec. There you go, Kristian. – Arvid? Arvid, can you hear me?
Hello?
– Kristian? – Go to hell.
– Drop what you're doing and get out. – We're just going to finish up here.
I've checked the data from Vajont and Randa.
They recorded contractions just before the landslide.
The same thing in both places.
Arvid, they didn't expand, they were drawn together.
We're coming up.
– What was that? What's happening? – Jacob is stuck!
– Calm down, I'll get you free. – What's happening? Arvid?
Jacob's feet are stuck!
I'm going to get you out. Everything will be alright.
– What does the sensor say? – Wait a moment.
The water table is falling in several locations.
I've lost contact.
Jacob, it will sort itself out.
– Margot? Sound the alarm. – But...
Go to red! Go to red!
Margot, sound the alarm!
– What the hell are you doing? – It's not strong enough for both of us.
Arvid!
– Hello? Margot? – Dad, what's going on?
Hi. What happened?
Ten... Ten minutes.
We have ten minutes. We need to get the guests out!
– Find the bus driver! – Yes!
Come on!
In. In. Seat belt on.
For God's sake, answer now!
Welcome to Voicemail...
Wake up! Everyone has to wake up! Come on! Get outside!
Everybody out of the hotel! Everybody must get out!
Everybody out of the hotel!
– Excuse me, is this a practise drill? – No, there's been a landslide.
Wake up! Everyone out!
Everybody must wake up!
– Thank heavens! Where are you? – In the hotel.
– I'm getting people out. Have you got Julia with you? – Yes, we're sat in the car.
– Good. – Screw your stuff! Drop everything! Come on!
You don't have enough time! You have to get up the hill now!
Wake up!
Get in the backseat.
– We're on our way. We'll pick you up now. – No, you don't have enough time. Run to safety.
We're driving now!
– Idun, we have enough time. – No! Get Julia to safety.
– You promise? – What about you and Sondre?
We have a bus here.
Are you on the way?
– All right. – Are you driving now?
– Yes, I'll do that. – Good.
– Drive up and we'll see you soon. – OK.
We're leaving soon too. – Out, quickly!
Everyone has to get out now!
– Please, listen to me! – What about the luggage?
To hell with it!
He doesn't want to drive the bus.
A tsunami is on the way. We've got minutes to get 80 metres higher.
Drive the bus now. – Vibeke, we must get everybody out now.
Come on, everybody out, out to the bus!
Where is Sondre? Sondre?
– Sondre! – Hurry up!
No, no, no, no...
– Julia, come on. – What are we going to do?
We're going to sprint a bit.
– What are you doing? – We don't have time! Get higher on the hill!
Sondre!
Sondre?
– Sondre? – – The subscriber cannot be reached at the moment.
Sondre!
Come on!
Come on! Get out of the car!
Up! Get up higher on the hill!
Get up! Run!
– What's happening? – Get up higher!
– Come, come, quickly. – Into the bus.
– I have to get my cell phone. – No, you don't have time!
Häråt. Come this way. Come on now!
Vibeke. Have you seen Sondre?
No. Yes, before, in the corridor.
– One missing. – We have to drive out to make it!
– I can't leave without Sondre. – Idun!
I can't leave without my son!
It's her son. I have to help her.
– What the hell is going on? – We have to help her find her son.
– We have to get into the bus. – Come now!
Holy shit!
We don't have enough time then!
Thomas, get out of the car and run.
Out! Run!
Come on. Run, run, run!
Run!
– Anna! – Mum!
– Thomas, take the kids. – Run, Thomas!
– Dad! – Run as fast as you can!
– Dad! – Run!
We don't have enough time.
Kristian, run!
Seat belt!
– Sondre! – Maria! We have to get to the bus.
Listen to me for heaven's sake! We have to get back to the bus now.
Quiet. I can hear something.
Sondre?
– There's somebody down there. – Sondre? Sondre!
– Sondre! – What happened?
– Come on! – What's going on?
There are shelters in the basement. Come on!
Maria! Maria!
Come on!
Maria!
Hold tight!
Maria!
Phillip!
Maria!
– Close the door. Close it! – Maria!
– Close the door! – She's out there!
Close the door! Or we're all going to die!
She's gone.
Phillip, she's gone. We've got to close the door.
Julia...
Hello?
– Jacob? – Margot.
Are you OK? Is Arvid OK?
Jacob, is Arvid there? Jacob?
Julia?
Julia!
– Julia! – Dad!
– Julia? – Dad!
Dad!
Let me have a look at you. Do you feel OK?
Come here. Are you OK?
What should I do?
The subscriber cannot be reached at the moment.
– Yeah, lots of phones are out of coverage here. – Excuse me, can I just get...
– Where are they talking from? – At the slope over Geiranger.
There are lots in the cottages there.
– Can I borrow it? – Yes.
Hello. Hi.
I'm wondering... there was a tourist bus they were going to drive from the hotel...
There isn't a bus up with you now?
Are you absolutely sure?
Thanks.
– Hi. – Where are mum and Sondre?
– Dad is going to go and find them now. – But I don't want you to leave.
I understand that.
But mum is really worried about us now.
She needs to know that we're OK.
– Am I going to be left here alone? – No, you're not going to be alone.
You're going to be with Teresa and Thomas.
You know what I think?
Thomas would be very happy if you could help look after Teresa.
You think you can handle that?
You are a brave little girl. And so nice.
OK. You stay here.
– and I'll find mum. – And Sondre.
And Sondre, of course.
OK. I'll do that.
OK.
I must get out of here.
The door, Sondre.
Wait!
Ready. And press!
Come on!
I'll get the lamp. Help me up.
Take your jacket off. Take your jacket off!
– No, screw this! – Come on!
– There's no point. It's useless. – Would you rather be out there?
Calm down. We'll wait till the water has risen above the door.
Then the pressure will be lower and we'll try again.
If we wait down here any longer then we're going to die! Holy shit!
We can't wait down here. We will die.
Hello!
Hello?
Idun? Sondre?
Let's try now.
Remove the cover.
Phillip, are you OK?
Hold on to the ceiling. Look, you can hold yourself here.
– Take it easy. – Don't touch me!
Hey, hey! What are you doing?
– Calm down. Let him go! – I'm not going to die here!
– Phillip, calm down. – Let me go, damn it!
Phillip, don't panic.
– I will not die here! – It's OK. Calm down.
Phillip!
– Let him go! – Shut up!
Let him go!
Don't look.
Hello?
Idun! Sondre!
Idun!
Sondre!
Sondre, I'm terribly sorry.
Sondre.
Hold on.
Hold tight.
– We are here! – Hello!
We are here!
Wait here.
Hello!
We are here!
Sondre. Wait here.
God!
I am here now. Everything's going to be all right, Sondre.
Are you hurt anywhere? Can you move?
Everything will be OK.
Mum is waiting for us there. We'll just take one last swim.
– No. – Yes, yes.
Listen now. The water is rising. Soon there will be no more air.
Then we're both going to die. And I can't let that happen.
Me and mum need you. And Julia needs you too.
Look at me. We all need you.
OK?
I will swim first and you'll swim right behind me.
I'll keep an eye on you the whole time. Are you ready?
OK, then let's do it.
One.
Two.
Three.
Sondre!
– Where is dad? – He was right behind me.
Kristian?
No. No, what the hell.
Dad!
Daddy, please!
Come on!
Dad!
Mum!
The fissures in Åkernes are monitored continuously today.
The cracks grow up to 15cm a year.
All the experts agree that the landslide is inevitable.
They just don't know when.