Storm cuts power and threatens water and supply shortages

Saturday’s severe storm has left thousands without electricity in parts of Lithuania, causing shortages of drinking water, food and medical supplies, LRT reported Monday. Kazlu Ruda municipality Mayor Mantas Varaska said the situation had become critical for residents who had been without power for a third day.

“The lack of electricity means that drinking water, food supplies and medical equipment are beginning to run short,” Varaska said. Some residents only regained communication on Monday, while people in more remote villages and homesteads were still contacting authorities for help.

The municipality is preparing to provide essential services, including water deliveries to homes and communities, drinking water tanks and food supplies. It may also bring residents, particularly families with young children, into the town so they can access water, hygiene facilities and other services.

Varaska said the municipality did not have firm information about when electricity would be restored. Services would continue for as long as necessary, potentially until Thursday, Friday, Saturday or the beginning of the following week, he said.

Utena District Mayor Marijus Kaukėnas said more than 100 trees had fallen in the town, with most already cleared. Villages in the district were also affected, although local administrations and residents had made significant progress in clearing the damage.

About 4,500 electricity customers in Utena District remained without power. Some local administrations and smaller villages were also experiencing water supply disruptions.

The Utenos vandenys water company is transporting generators and using them to fill water towers. In places without water towers, it is borrowing generators from other companies and installing them for more permanent use, Kaukėnas said.

Communication problems were also reported in more remote parts of the district. Social services were continuing, and the municipality was prepared to maintain them for as long as needed.

Kaukėnas said the disruption could continue for days or even weeks, particularly while electricity lines in remote areas were being repaired. He added that the district would draw lessons from the storm and significantly increase the number of generators available for future heavy rain, storms or snowfalls.