Norway: More evacuations could be ordered after Storm Hans floods swamp homes and cause power cuts

Further evacuations are being considered in Norway as flood waters continue to swamp houses and coat cars with mud in the south east of the Nordic country.

Up to 2,000 people have already been moved away from their homes after days of torrential rain.

Water levels in swollen rivers and lakes continue to grow.

At least three people were killed after Storm Hans battered northern Europe earlier this week, causing transport disruption, flooding and power cuts.

One of the worst-affected parts of Norway is the town of Honefossen, 25 miles north of Oslo, where the Begna river burst its banks.

Amid fears of landslides, authorities are considering moving more people downstream.

Water levels around Honefossen are expected to continue to rise and remain high until at least Monday, Ivar Berthling, from Norway’s water resources and energy directorate (NVE), told Norwegian news agency NTB.

“We are still facing critical days,” the Ringerike municipality, where Honefossen lies, said in a statement.

Further north, near the Strondafjorden lake, the water level was reported to be 8.2ft above normal.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store was due to visit Honefossen on Friday while King Harald and Queen Sonja will go to the headquarters of the NVE.

The damage so far could amount to one billion kroner – almost £78.5m.

Thousands of Norwegians who own cabins are being urged not to check on them.

“We fully understand that many cabin owners are anxious about the cabin’s condition after the ravages of the extreme weather, but we hope people will abstain now from making the trip just to check,” Lars Aune of the National Police said in a statement.

“This is to avoid unnecessary strain on exposed roads.”