Severe Cyclone Hits Latvia and Lithuania, Leaving Trail of Destruction

A powerful cyclone has ravaged Latvia and Lithuania, claiming the lives of two people and leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity.

The storm, which brought heavy rain and strong winds, made landfall on Saturday and persisted into Sunday morning, causing widespread damage and disruption to daily life.

According to Andris Viksna, a spokesperson from the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center, the storm’s impact was the most severe in Latvia since 2005.

One person died in Jelgava, central Latvia, when part of a building collapsed, and several others were injured across the country.

Wind speeds reached a staggering 67 mph in the capital city of Riga, with some areas receiving half of the average monthly rainfall in just one day.

The storm’s impact was felt across the region, with over 250,000 people left without electricity and mobile services severely disrupted.

Rail and public transportation services were also affected, with trees and other objects falling on infrastructure causing delays and cancellations.

The Riga airport announced that flights could be delayed or rerouted due to the severe storm conditions.

In neighboring Lithuania, one person died after being struck by a falling tree, and over 200,000 residents were left without electricity.

The storm’s impact was not limited to Latvia and Lithuania, with Estonia’s western and northern regions and islands also feeling the effects.

Ferry services to islands were disrupted, and trains arriving from Latvia and Lithuania were delayed.

In northeastern Poland, over 100,000 people lost power due to the storm.

While it is difficult to assess the contribution of climate change to the storm’s severity, Viksna noted that it is ‘plausible that human-caused climate change may have intensified the rainfall associated with the cyclone.’

The situation is expected to improve by Sunday, with conditions expected to return to normal by Monday.