Norway bomb scare evacuates US Embassy

The US Embassy in Norway was evacuated on Tuesday after security staff found a suspicious object beneath a nearby vehicle.

According to Norway's The Foreigner, the area has now been cleared of any suspicious objects and no explosive device was found.

"[We have] found and checked out a harmless object under a car by the building. All evacuees can return to the area. Cordons in the area have been lifted," they write on their Twitter account.

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Norwegian police said the embassy and surrounding areas, including the royal palace, were cleared of people as the bomb squad and its sniffer dogs were dispatched, reported the Associated Press. The royal family was not in the palace at the time and, while palace visitors were asked to leave, staff remained.

"It's a large area — around 500 meters [yards] surrounding the embassy," said police spokesman Martin Todnem to the AP, adding that police received a call from embassy security staff at 11:22 a.m.

Police had closed access to all public transportation in the area, which is in the heart of Oslo, according to The Nordic Page. Sea King helicopters and police helicopters had been dispatched in the region to assist in the operation.