Norway evacuated thousands of people on Wednesday as river levels reached their highest levels in at least 50 years and homes and company headquarters were flooded or washed away by landslides, Reuters writes.

Major roads and rail services were suspended in large parts of southern Norway as rivers overflowed their banks, and authorities warned of more widespread flooding in the coming days as waters recede in low-lying coastal regions.

In the county of Innlandet, one of the hardest-hit areas in Norway, it was reported that many people were left isolated by the floods and that first aid crews may not be able to reach those in need.

“We are in a national emergency,” Inlandet Mayor Oud Hove said in a press release.

The government on Wednesday decided to mobilize several helicopters to participate in the evacuation, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security told TV2.

So far, no casualties have been recorded as a result of the disaster, Norwegian authorities said.

Strong winds, torrential rain and landslides have lashed parts of northern Europe in recent days, downing power lines in Finland, flooding villages in Norway and Sweden and blocking public transport in affected areas. A Swedish train derailed on Monday after a flood swept away a railway embankment, injuring three people.

Authorities in Norway and Sweden maintained red flood codes – the most severe warnings – for several regions on Wednesday. (Source: News.ro)