On December 13th, 2019, a landslide caused a section of the E22 motorway in southwestern Sweden to collapse, leaving a large opening in the embankment next to railroad tracks. Approximately 200,000 cubic meters of soil were involved in the landslide, with the collapse blocking a lane of traffic and halting commuter and freight trains going into and out of Gothenburg.
Following the incident, Swedish officials closed the motorway while they investigated the cause of the landslide. The investigation revealed that erosion in soil of the embankment caused by an unusually high water level was to blame. Drought in the summer of 2019 had left soils dry, abandoning the embankment to increased water pressure during winter. The prolonged drought followed by heavy rain had created an imbalance of water pressure in the ground, leading to a landslide.
Crews were sent to the scene in order to fill and secure the damaged embankment and restore the motorway. However, the repairs were estimated to take several weeks and were complicated by severe weather conditions in the area. After months of repair work, the Swedish Transport Administration officially reopened the section of the motorway on April 3, 2020.
