Svalbard This day, 19 December
2015
Avalanche in Longyearbyen
On 19 December 2015 a large avalanche from Sukkertoppen hit ten houses in Longyearbyen and killed two people.
History Store norske leksikon
Friday 19 December 2025Before the Wire, which starts 26 October 2026Updated 23:59
Polar night, day 54 of 111. The sun returns 15 February.
Svalbard Wire starts on 26 October 2026. Pages before that date show the history of the island.
From the timeline, War and rebuilding
1941
The mines stop and people leave
The Norwegian and Soviet mines were put out of operation in the summer of 1941 and the population was evacuated, the Russians to Arkhangelsk and the Norwegians to Scotland. The Germans kept a small force in Longyearbyen until it was evacuated in July 1942.
History Store norske leksikon
The timeline by era
- 1596Discovery and whaling, 3 entries
- 1715Hunting and expeditions, 4 entries
- 1905The coal town, 6 entries
- 1920The Svalbard Treaty, 4 entries
- 1941War and rebuilding, 4 entries
- 1975The modern town, 3 entries
- 2015The present transition, 6 entries