The Åknes/Tafjord project was initiated in 2004 with the aim of investigating, monitoring, and providing early warning of the unstable objects at Åknes and Hegguraksla in Tafjord in Møre and Romsdal county. The unstable rock slopes at Åknes and Tafjord are situated in remote areas in steep mountain slopes along deep fjords, and the risk is related to the generation of destructive tsunamis. The geoscientific investigations have included geological, geophysical, and kinematic studies. The main aim of the investigation stage has been to establish the geological constraints in terms of structural pattern, geomorphic features, geometry, depth of unstable areas, water conditions, and the movement pattern both on the surface and in depth. The total volume of the potential rock slide at Åknes is estimated to be 30-40 million m3, and the movements are in the order of 3-10 cm/year. The monitoring systems include extensometers, lasers, GPS, total station, ground-based radar and borehole instrumentation. The project has, together with the International Centre for Geohazards (ICG) and the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, initiated research related to numerical modelling of rock slide dynamics and tsunamis, as well as laboratory experiments together with SINTEF Coast and Harbour Research Laboratory and University of Oslo. The tsunami analyses so far indicate tremendous run-up heights at some of the villages along the fjord. The project is now focusing on establishing operative monitoring and early-warning systems in a region including at least 4 municipalities.
Additional information on the hazard related to rock slides and tsunamis in the Norwegian fjords can be found in the attached paper by Blikra, L.H., O. Longva, C.B. Harbitz, and F.Løvholt (2005): Quantification of rock-avalanche and tsunami hazard in Storfjorden, western Norway. In: Senneset, K., Flaate, K. & Larsen, J.O. (eds): Landslides and Avalanches. ICFL 2005 Norway. Proceedings of the 11th International Conference and Fiels Trip on Landslides, Norway, 1-10 September 2005. Taylor & Francis Group, London. p 57-63. Download pdf-version here.
For further inofrmations on the Åknes/Tafjord project, please contact Lars Harald Blikra (e-mail: lars.harald.blikra at stranda.kommune.no) or see the Åknes/Tafjord web page (in Norwegian).