EThe approaching storm has led to floods, fires and water damage in Scandinavia. In both Sweden and neighboring Norway, the storm formation “Hans” brought heavy precipitation with it. There were isolated delays, route closures and cancellations in rail, ferry and air traffic in the two countries. Some streets were flooded and had to be closed. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Agency (NVE) and the Norwegian Meteorological Institute classified the hazard warning as red, the highest possible category.
Two carriages of a passenger train derailed near Hudiksvall, around 300 kilometers north of Stockholm. The Swedish police said the embankment had given way at this point because of the heavy rain. Three people were taken to the hospital – the extent of their injuries is unclear. Train traffic was partially stopped in eastern Norway, where landslides were warned on Monday.
Storm low over northern Europe, surface wind speed in meters per second
Heavy rain and thunderstorms already hit Sweden and Norway on Sunday and Monday, resulting in flooding, flight cancellations, closed roads and power outages. A sidewalk and parts of a road collapsed in Jönköping, Sweden. As a result, according to the broadcaster SVT, there was a major power outage in Malmö in southern Sweden, which temporarily affected more than 5,000 electricity customers. Among other things, in the Västernorrland region hundreds of kilometers further north, flooding in houses and basements was reported. According to the Swedish institute SMHI, 25,443 lightning bolts were registered in the sky in Sweden on Sunday alone.
The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) issued a red hazard warning warning of very heavy rain and extreme flooding in smaller bodies of water for some western regions of the country on Tuesday and Wednesday. Rainfall of up to 100 millimeters in 24 hours has been forecast for eastern Norway. In Norway, the storm depression is called “Hans”.
“Everyone has to secure their own house now”
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre called on citizens to be careful. “It is important that each of us secures our own home now,” Støre told Norwegian Public Broadcaster. It is also important to ensure that cars and caravans are not too close to streams and rivers. Norwegian police advised people not to stay in the areas where the storm is expected to hit the hardest. The Norwegian civil protection agency DSD advised residents of the affected areas to ensure they have enough water and food for several days. Rain was also expected in the region on Wednesday and Thursday, but with less intensity.
Norwegian meteorologists expect that the situation in their country will continue to deteriorate and that the storm will develop into one of the strongest of the past 25 years in many places. The storm is moving across the region from an easterly direction, which meteorologists say is unusual; Usually, extreme weather events hit the coastal regions of western Norway, not the east of the country. Prime Minister Støre said Norway is likely to experience more such weather events in the future as a result of climate change.
Severe storms in the Baltic States
A severe storm meanwhile led to violent wind and precipitation in the Baltic States. Strong gusts of wind, hail showers and rain hit Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on Monday. In all three countries, buildings and vehicles were damaged and trees were uprooted. A woman died after being hit by a falling tree in the northern Lithuanian city of Zagare, Lithuanian radio reported, citing emergency services. According to media reports, thousands of households in Estonia and Latvia were temporarily without electricity. Farmers complained about considerable damage at the beginning of the harvest season.
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