The Wave (Bølgen)

The rock slide on January 15, 1905,

surprised the villagers while they were sound asleep.

The rock slide occurred in Lodalen in Nordfjord.

The result was a massive tsunami that killed 63 people.

The wave swept across Lake Loen

and was 40 meters high when it hit land.

It's been 58 years since the Tafjord rock slide.

40 people were killed when the side of a mountain crashed into the fjord.

We have registered 300 unstable mountainsides in Norway today.

It's only a matter of time before the next big rock slide.

Geiranger is now threatened by what could be a new Tafjord disaster.

Out along the fjord lies Åkerneset.

A gigantic, unstable mountainside that will fall someday.

Seven million cubic meters of rock will crash into the fjord

creating a massive tsunami.

Nowhere are the crevices as active as at Åkerneset.

The question is: Can people in the area be warned in time?

THE WAVE

Give me a break! I'm 40!

- Hello? - Hi, Dad.

- Hello. - Hi.

- What's going on? - Mom's fixing the sink.

Kristian, can you hand me a wrench?

Why don't you call a plumber instead?

I don't need a plumber, but I wouldn't mind a plumber wrench.

It's in there.

Here, Mom.

- You know what a plumber wrench is? - Who doesn't?

There. Our new place won't have this problem.

But this place has soul.

- What's soul? - Soul?

Soul is some nonsense your mother believes in.

- What did you say? - Nothing.

The apartment is brand-new. The view is amazing.

The whole city is right there.

And everything is run by remote control.

The lights, the music, the blinds...

But what I really liked best,

is that you can lock and unlock the door with your phone.

There's a key app.

- And you trusted that? - No, I had to double-check.

I'd never seen a key app before in my life. I mean, come on!

Hey, what do you think?

Should I throw these away?

- Throw your shirts away? - I don't know.

A new place, new job...

Okay, you know what?

I think you're going to need a suit. It's suit and tie from now on.

And you'll need a proper haircut. This will be great.

Let's forget about it and just stay here.

No, we've made up our minds. Don't worry.

Maybe I'll finally get more attention than that mountain.

You want attention?

- Want me to give you some attention? - No tickling!

Hey, not on the kitchen counter!

We have to make food on that!

Early Warning Center 102.1 meters above sea level

The six goes on the seven.

Everything normal here?

0.3 mm in the last 24 hours. Within the norm.

Hi.

How were things in the good old oil capital?

Same old, same old. Lots of suits.

That's how capitalists always dress.

How old is this?

Hear that, Georg? Two days in the city, and he's a gourmet.

That's what happens.

"Thanks for everything." Sounds like a funeral.

I'll let you bake next time.

- Hope that won't be anytime soon. - It looks delicious, Margot.

Well...

Dear Kristian, imagine that this...

is your last day with us.

Now you're sounding like a funeral.

Unfortunately,

we don't only have mountains here, but in the North Sea too.

So I understand why the oil industry is interested in a man like you.

You're truly dedicated.

I speak for everyone here when I say you'll be sorely missed.

- It will be sad. - Thank you.

But it will be an incredible relief

not to constantly have to triple-check everything.

- Hear, hear! - Cheers!

Cheers.

- Number five, too? - Looks like it.

What's going on?

The ground water suddenly sank in four and five.

Then we lost contact.

Could you show me?

- Bring up a camera. - Two seconds.

Zoom in.

- Was there any other movement? - No. None at all.

- Could be a bad connection. - It looks stable.

We'll check the next time we're up there. Turn off that damn alarm!

Kristian? Kristian!

The mountain is quiet.

Don't worry. Go pack. We have it under control.

- Look, Mom, I made them all fit! - Good job, honey.

- Mom, should I take these? - Sure, those boxes are ready.

Isn't he going to help?

You know what? He is, actually.

Hi. How's the packing going?

- Good. - Really?

That furrow, Kristian...

I thought it would be gone by now.

Something strange happened with the groundwater today.

That's no longer your job.

That mountain will be there for another thousand years.

Now finish packing, so the moving truck can leave tomorrow.

And pack that furrow too. Get moving!

See how she pushes me around?

Everyone has to contribute, Dad.

How's it going, boss?

I like it here.

I know Geiranger isn't

the center of the universe.

But it's safe.

It's home.

Sondre, I know this is hard.

But Mom and I made the decision

we believe is best for this family.

It isn't always easy having to make the tough calls.

- But that's life. - But... what will be next?

After a couple of years in Stavanger.

Will we pack up and move again?

I mean, this whole damn country is made of rock.

What's this? Are you moving?

Come here!

- You too! - And me.

Hi, Sondre.

You may not last long, with all that pavement...

And Kristian in a tie...

- You like ties! - It'll sure be different.

- A definite change. - They strangle me.

- Are you ready? - More or less.

They're leaving on the ferry now. I have to work a couple more days.

- You aren't leaving now? - You aren't rid of me yet.

Dad, it's our turn.

Dad, it's our turn!

Are you going to drive?

Wait here. This won't take long.

Hi. I have to show you something.

HOTEL GEIRANGER, Downtown, 1.7 meters above sea level

- Hi, Vibeke. - You took your sweet time.

I thought I'd give you a hand.

Hi, welcome to Geiranger! Sorry for the wait.

- May I have your name? - Maria and Phillip Poulsen.

Let me find your room.

- Are the others gone? - They're on the ferry.

Imagine if the problem isn't with the sensors,

but with the wires down to the sensors.

All mountains consist of plates. Including ours.

Our bore holes pass through all the plates.

You said the groundwater disappeared right before we lost contact.

Groundwater doesn't disappear. Water doesn't just disappear.

It finds new ways, new layers.

And that creates friction, which causes the layers to move.

If that movement was big enough, it may have severed our wires.

Then we'll dig some new holes and put in new sensors. What's the big deal?

If the weight of the mountain

and the displacement is big enough...

There'll be no expansion prior to the rock slide.

There'll be no warning.

EAGLE'S NEST CONTROL STATION

874.1 meters above sea level

Hey, be careful!

That's Geiranger's biggest tourist attraction.

In a beautiful place like this, you always want a view.

Of course you do. Let me know if you need anything else. Bye!

Hi, Sondre.

What?

Where are you now?

Do you have contact? Can you see us?

Yes, we see you.

That's good to know.

You check four, I'll take five.

Kristian?

This is not natural wear and tear.

No, something's going on.

There's all kinds of movement up there.

We'll look into it. We'll figure it out.

- What do you mean? - Take more tests. Drill more holes.

More holes? Have you lost your mind?

Do I really have to remind you of what might happen?

We're talking an 80 meter high wave.

After ten minutes, Geiranger is gone!

We are aware of the consequences.

- It doesn't seem like it! - What the hell do you want me to do?

Do you want me to push this?

Create total panic? Cancel the tourist season?

When did you start caring about how many souvenirs we sold?

We can't cry wolf every time we suspect something up there.

What do we do the day it really happens?

Then please tell me, What do we do now?

Go to Yellow Alert.

Full crew on all shifts, 24-hour watch on the mountain.

What about you guys? What do you think?

Hm? Are you just going to watch this happen?

Jacob?

Kristian, listen...