24 Jul 2011

Norway in mourning

9:53 pm on 24 July 2011

Norway has been mourning its dead at special memorial services across the country after Friday's massacre at an island youth camp and a bombing of government buildings in the capital Oslo

The death toll from the twin attacks on Friday has risen to 92.

At least 85 people died when a gunman opened fire at Utoeya island. Seven others were killed in the explosion in the government quarter of the capital.

The Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg and the King and Queen of Norway were among the mourners who packed Oslo Cathedral for the memorial service there.

As they arrived, they laid single white flowers outside the historic building.

Earlier, Mr Stoltenberg went the town of Sundvollen near the island on Saturday with King Harald, Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon to comfort the relatives.

''We will do whatever we can to give them as much support as possible,'' said Mr Stoltenberg.

King Harald said: ''It's now important that we stand together and we support each other and we do not let fear conquer us.''

In Oslo, stunned mourners gathered around a make-shift shrine outside the Cathedral ahead of the special memorial service.

The BBC reports there is a heavy military presence in the capital, with checkpoints around the government quarter.

Flags are at half-mast.

Search continues for casualties

The Prime Minister warned there could still be more casualties from the attacks as rescue teams used boats and underwater cameras to search the lake.

Mr Stoltenberg said many people were still looking for their children and had not so far been able to locate them.

Hundreds of young people were attending the summer camp organised by the governing Labour Party on Utoeya island.

Eyewitnesses described how a tall, blond man dressed as a policeman opened fire indiscriminately, prompting camp attendees to jump into the water to try to escape the hail of bullets.

Some were shot at as they tried to swim to safety.

In Oslo police said the death toll could rise further some buildings damaged by the bomb were still too unstable to search.