Nature’s Catastrophes -1905 and 1936.
You see before you Mt. Ramnefjell; a mountain that has tragic distinction in Norway’s history. Landslides have plummeted to the lake below several times. Landslides of such proportion that they have twice almost obliterated two settlements. The landslide caused subterranean waves that surged along the bottom of the lake and developed into annihilating tidal waves when they reached shallower waters.
In 1905 a total of 61 people were killed in the settlements of Nesdal and Bødal. Only 9 persons were found, the other 52 found their grave in the lake.
Just one generation later, there was a further landslide. In 1936,74 persons were killed, of which 41 were never found. A gigantic tidal wave swept through farmyards and destroyed everything in its path; people, animal, farm buildings and cultivated fields.
Fertile settlements
Before the landslides in 1905 and 1936, the settlements of Bødal and Nesdal were regarded as high-yield crop settlements, whith rich fertile soil. After the 1905 landslide, the houses were rebuilt on a higher and “safer” place. Many have asked themselves why the inhibitants did not move fron, the settlements. The answer can be that they did not count on the mountain repeating an equally dramatic landslide. The other and most significant reason was that the people did not have so many alternatives.
As you can see, tons of rock and scree now lie below the scar on Mt. Ramnefjell. If new landslides occur, these would not be able to form high waves as the lake has now been filled at this point.
Other settlements along Lovatn lake have also been rammed by the waves from the landslides. Material damage was incurred over the lenght and the breadth of the watercourse.
Source: Information board on site