Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Monday 

Search operation in Hardanger

A search operation is underway in Hardanger, western Norway after three people and a dog went missing in the area. 

Crews from the police, fire brigade, the Red Cross, Norwegian People's Aid and rescue dogs are among the search party. Around 30-40 people are participating. 

The people were missing near the Toka Gorge. Rescue services fear that they were swept away by strong currents and may have gone down a waterfall. 

Rescue services say the missing party were trying to cross the river to reach a cabin. 

Seven-week long cultural strike ends

After seven weeks, the strike in the cultural sector has ended, and the parties have agreed to introduce new pension benefits. 

"We have had good and fruitful negotiations over the weekend. The negotiations ended with a solution both parties accepted Monday night," mediator Mats Wilhelm Ruland said in a statement. 

Nearly 900 employees at 15 cultural institutions, including the Opera and the National Theater, have been on strike.

Majority in favour of continued oil exploration

The majority of people surveyed in a recent poll, 56 percent, said they favoured the government continuing to search for oil and gas in new areas. 

The opinion poll, which Respons Analyse did for newspaper VG, found that one in ten said they weren't sure whether oil exploration should continue or not and just over one-third said they were against continued oil and gas drilling. 

Food prices could surge

The price of food in Norway could shoot up significantly due to the rising cost of raw ingredients. 

"It is an extreme raw material situation, with incredibly high raw material price increases. Sugar is up 40 percent, vegetable oil is up 60 percent, transport from China is ten times as expensive, and often there are delays as well," Jaan Ivar Semlitsch, CEO of goods company Orkla, told financial newspaper Dagens Næringsliv.

Orkla has said it will be forced to hike its prices as a result. 

READ MORE: Why coffee in Norway could be pricier in 2022

"It is absolutely necessary. It has not been such a situation in 20 years," the CEO explained. 

424 new Covid cases in Norway

On Sunday, 424 people in Norway tested positive for Covid-19 in Norway. This is 140 fewer than the average for the previous seven days, which is 564, but 215 infections more than last Sunday. 

Total number of Covid-19 in Norway. Source: Norwegian Institute of Public Health.