Storm leaves 240 Sadales tīkls customers without power

About 240 customers of Latvia’s power distribution company Sadales tīkls remained without electricity a week after the powerful storm, LSM reported.

Power supply disruptions have been resolved in Kurzeme and Vidzeme. The company has concentrated its largest resources in the Jēkabpils, Preiļi and Rēzekne municipalities, where long power-line branches in forested areas supply only a few homesteads and the damage is particularly extensive, Sadales tīkls external communications head Ilze Dimante said.

Temporary power supply solutions are being provided in cooperation with municipalities. The company said the remaining 240 active consumers were still without electricity on Sunday morning because of the storm.

Workers will continue without interruption until power has been fully restored, Dimante said. Sadales tīkls will then continue inspecting power lines and repairing other infrastructure damaged by the storm.

By comparison, about 15,000 customers in Lithuania were still without electricity on Sunday, Dimante said.

The storm that struck Latvia during the night of August 22 to 23 was the country’s strongest summer storm since at least 1966, when comprehensive wind-gust observations began. One person died when a new building collapsed in Jelgava, several people were injured by falling trees and branches, and two firefighter rescuers were hurt during rescue operations.