Thunderstorms knock out power to thousands in Latvia

RIGA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Severe thunderstorms swept across eastern and southeastern Latvia on Sunday, damaging the power grid, toppling trees and leaving thousands of households without electricity.

Power outages peaked at around 9,300 customers at about 2 p.m. in the municipalities of Rezekne, Preili and Ludza, according to LETA news agency. By Sunday evening, around 2,400 customers of electricity distribution operator Sadales tikls remained without power as repair crews continued restoration work.

Sadales tikls said the outages were caused by trees and branches falling onto overhead power lines, as well as lightning strikes. The company said it had switched to an intensified operating mode, while its smart grid enabled electricity supplies in many cases to be restored via alternative power lines even before damaged infrastructure was repaired.

The storms also caused widespread disruption on roads. The State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) received dozens of calls reporting fallen trees blocking traffic.

Weather warnings for thunderstorms, heavy rain and sudden strong wind gusts in parts of southeastern Latvia will remain in force till late Sunday night. Sadales tikls warned that the power supply situation could remain unstable as the storms moved across the region, adding that more extensive and complex damage could take longer to repair. Enditem