Dog found alive in Norwegian landslide rubble

Three people remain missing while search continues

A dog has been found alive in the rubble of a deadly landslide in Norway which struck last week.

The landslide in the Norwegian village of Ask on 30 December swept away several homes and search teams continue to search for survivors.

Seven people are known to have died so far and three others remain missing.

The dog was found late on Monday “in good condition”, police spokesperson Ivar Myrboe said.

“It is a joy for us and gives motivation to further work hard,” said Goeran Syversen, who has been working on the rescue operation.

The discovery comes as Norwegian authorities said on Tuesday afternoon that they "no longer hope to find survivors".

Search efforts have continued around the village, which lies 16 miles northeast of Oslo, over the course of the last week.

Search teams with dogs, helicopters and drones with heat-detecting cameras have been deployed to look for survivors.

A car stops on the edge of a deep ravine caused by the lanslide in Ask (EPA)

At least nine buildings with over 30 apartments were destroyed in the landslide and more than 1,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in the village of 5,000.  

Some buildings were left hanging on the edge of a deep ravine, which grew to be 2,300 feet long and 1,000 feet wide.

The exact cause of the landslide is not yet known but the area has a lot of quick clay, which can change from solid to liquid form.  

Experts said the quick clay, combined with high levels of precipitation and damp winter weather, may have contributed to the landslide.

In 2005, Norwegian authorities warned people not to construct residential buildings in the area, saying it was “a high-risk zone” for landslides, but houses were eventually built there later in the decade.

Additional reporting by Associated Press