Photo credit: Tor E. Nordlie/ShutterstockAn explosion shook central Oslo on the evening of September 23, sparking a large police operation and emergency alerts to residents. The blast occurred at around 08:40pm local time in Pilestredet, a busy street near Oslo Metropolitan University, roughly 500 metres from the Royal Palace and close to the Israeli Embassy. “The explosion was so loud, my ears hurt,” one local resident told Norwegian media, quoted by Hindustan Times. Political and Public ReactionsThe incident has shaken Oslo, a city that has largely been spared major bomb or grenade attacks in recent years. The capital’s mayor, Anne Lindboe, called the explosion “frightening” and thanked emergency services for their swift response.