Rescuers have recovered three bodies from the remains of a landslide in the Norwegian village of Ask, and are still searching for seven missing people, officials said on Saturday.
The landslide, which is said to be the worst in the country’s history, happened Wednesday, destroying several buildings and forcing the evacuation of more than 1,000 people.
Search crews patrolled the residential area on Saturday where the landslide hit dogs, helicopters and drones that can detect body heat under the snow.
“Medically, you can survive for several days if you have air,” Police Chief Ida Melbo Oeystese told reporters at a news conference.
Officials had not identified the three bodies as of Saturday afternoon. The first was discovered on Friday and two were recovered on Saturday.
Limited hours of light and unstable terrain at the rescue site have challenged rescue efforts.
The exact cause of the landslide has not been announced, but authorities hope that in recent weeks it may have contributed to excessive rainfall.
“Not since 1893 has there been a rapid landslide of clay of this size in Norway,” Norwegian Water Resources and Energy director Toril Hofshagen told the media on Saturday.