A new Netflix disaster thriller is captivating audiences across the UK - however, the shocking true story behind it is almost more insane than the film itself.
The Swedish film is currently #3 on Netflix in the UK, and tells the story of a mining city called Kiruna sinking into the ground after an earthquake.
The thriller is shocking, with twists, turns, and even deaths, as the main character Frigga tries to balance saving her family caught up in the disaster with saving the town.
Whilst it is exaggerated at points for the film, which is titled The Abyss, it is actually based on the true story of Kiruna sinking into the ground.
Advert
Miners have dug holes all over the area for centuries, causing the city to begin to literally sink.
What the film doesn't focus on is that in 2004 it was decided that, rather than moving the mining operation, they decided to just move the entire city.
Moving the mining operation was deemed infeasible, and closing it was far too expensive due to the city sitting on a vast Iron ore deposit, so the state owned mining company Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB) decided on moving the city building by building.
Advert
The city’s 21 most important buildings are now being moved at an estimated cost of around £1 Billion, with LKAB offering all residents the chance to buy their home, move them to a new apartment, or to put their home on a flatbed truck and drive it away.
The city being moved town by town sounds more like an episode of The Simpsons than anything else - but the plan for a new Kiruna is aimed to be completed by 2035 according to Wired.
The move is being entirely funded by LKAB, with Swedish law dictating that the mine is required by law to be open to compensate those in the area for all the damage it has caused.
Thankfully, in stark difference to the Netflix thriller, there were no deaths caused by the disaster in real life.
Advert
In Netflix’s The Abyss, the focus is on a huge sinkhole appearing in the centre of Kiruna causing death, mayhem, and most importantly of course: relationship drama.
The fictionalised version of Kiruna’s sinkhole issues has been a hit on Netflix - with it featuring in the top 10 on Netflix in 75 different countries worldwide, and third in the UK behind only My Son and the ever popular Despicable Me 3.
Topics: Netflix, TV and Film
Michael Slavin