Storm leaves families without power, water and communications

Families in Utena and Vilnius districts are coping without electricity, water and communications after Saturday’s storm, LRT reports. More than 111,000 electricity customers were still without power late Monday morning, compared with 268,000 at the height of the storm.

The most difficult conditions remain in several districts, including Utena and Vilnius. Residents interviewed by LRT said electricity network operator ESO had warned that power might not be restored until August 29.

Ilona Jarecka, who lives in Karveliškės in Vilnius District, said her family had been without electricity since about 2 p.m. Saturday. She had planned to celebrate her name day with guests and had bought fresh fish, meat and other food.

Although the family had been warned about the approaching storm, it did not expect serious disruption. After 15 years of living in the countryside, however, the family was prepared for the possibility of several days without electricity. It had a generator, gas, water supplies and charged power banks.

The generator allows the family to use some appliances, but it requires constant refuelling. When LRT spoke to Jarecka on Monday, the generator had just stopped because the fuel had run out.

“I will put the children in the car, take the canisters and drive to Vilnius to the petrol station again,” Jarecka said. She estimated that running the generator continuously could cost the family about 100 euros a day in fuel alone.

The generator does not restore normal household operations. The freezer, refrigerator and lights work, but the family cannot use the washing machine, dishwasher or electric kettle. Turning on the kettle immediately causes the power to go out.

The loss of the water pump, which also runs on electricity, is an even greater problem. The family collects water from a nearby pond in buckets for the toilet and other household needs, while drinking water had been stored at home.

Another family interviewed by LRT said it was preparing some food over a fire because it could no longer cook normally at home. The family was also trying to eat its supplies before they spoiled.

Saturday’s storm was one of the strongest to hit Lithuania in several decades.