Storm leaves Anykščiai care home without power for four days

Some units of the Anykščiai social care home have been without electricity, water and communications for four days after a storm, LRT reports. Staff are carrying water from a nearby lake, while residents who cannot walk have been unable to leave upper floors because the lift is not working.

The Svėdasai branch of the social care home still has no mains electricity, although planned activities for elderly residents are continuing. A generator is providing limited power, but it is not sufficient for all needs.

“The biggest problem is the non-functioning lift, because residents who are dependent, bedridden or receiving nursing care cannot get down to the first floor,” the home’s director, Jolita Gečienė, said.

The facility has also been without water since Saturday. Drinking water is brought from the town, while employees draw water from the nearby lake with buckets and carry it into the home. They have been doing so for the fourth day.

The lack of water is making it difficult to maintain residents’ hygiene. Water for washing must be heated in kettles because the generator cannot power electric hotplates or cookers.

“We have to wash the residents because dry washing cannot continue for a long time, especially for people receiving nursing care. We have to ensure hygiene,” Gečienė said.

Staff are also becoming exhausted. Chief nurse Daina Mejerienė said the situation was emotionally difficult because employees were constantly worrying about whether there were enough supplies and whether all residents were safe.

Anykščiai District Mayor Kęstutis Tubis criticised ESO, saying the company’s priorities were unclear and that the number of consumers without electricity in the district was increasing rather than falling. He said ESO was not communicating with the municipality or providing information about where crews were working.

Tubis said he had learned that the work was being carried out by subcontractors, including an Anykščiai company. According to the mayor, the company said it needed considerably more workers because several hundred metres of forest had been blown down, blocking access to the damaged area.

Lithuanian troops and two vehicles with crews are also expected to join efforts to restore electricity in the Anykščiai district.