Severe Storms in the Baltics: Several Dead, Hundreds of Thousands Without Power

Situation in Latvia

Lithuania is also severely affected, according to the reports. Hundreds of thousands of households are without electricity, numerous roads are blocked, and railway lines are interrupted. Authorities urged the population to avoid unnecessary travel and to stay away from fallen power lines.

Meteorologist Andris Viksna warned, according to AP, that further severe thunderstorms are possible. The weather services in both countries expected heavy showers and stormy gusts again during the day. People were asked to follow warnings closely and to prepare for further evacuations.

Lithuania Also Hard Hit

Numerous images and videos circulated on social media showing flooded streets, torn-off roofs, and damaged utility poles. Local media spoke of one of the most severe storm series in the region in recent years. Several municipalities declared a state of emergency.

The prime ministers of both countries announced that cleanup operations would be supported with all available means. Neighboring states Estonia and Poland also signaled willingness to help. European partner countries offered technical support in restoring the power grids, according to AP.

Weather Services Warn of Further Thunderstorms

Energy providers said full restoration of supply could take several days. Rural areas are particularly affected, where lines have been damaged over long stretches. Mobile emergency generators are in use to supply hospitals and other critical facilities.

The storms hit a region that has already struggled with extreme weather events recently. Weather experts see the clustering of severe storms as a sign of the effects of climate change. Long-term adaptation measures to the changed conditions are becoming more urgent, it was said.

International Aid Offers

Authorities also warned of possible secondary hazards such as flooding along river courses and landslides. The population was asked to avoid basements and lower-lying rooms and to move to higher floors immediately if water levels rise.

Overall, the situation remains unclear. Rescue services are coordinating their operations with the armed forces and volunteer organizations. The official death toll could still rise, according to authorities, as people continue to be reported missing.

Weather services in Germany were closely monitoring the situation in the Baltics. Comparable storms are not expected in Germany at present, the German Weather Service stated. Nevertheless, the event shows how vulnerable modern infrastructure is to extreme weather conditions.

Overall, the crisis highlights the need for cross-border cooperation in disaster response. The EU Commission stated, according to AP, that it would offer the Baltic states short-term support from the European disaster relief fund. This is intended to finance the immediate cleanup and reconstruction work.