Storm leaves thousands without power in Lithuania

More than 111,000 consumers remained without power in Lithuania on Monday, three days after a powerful storm battered the country, broadcaster LRT reported.

Grid operator Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius (ESO) said more than 111,000 consumers were still without electricity on Monday, down from a peak of around 268,000 during the storm.

“We really did have an exceptional storm – when we compare it with previous ones, we see it was almost 35% more intense than the last major one, in 2024. And we’re not basing that assessment on damage to our own grid, but on call-outs to the Fire and Rescue Department,” Renaldas Radvila, head of ESO, told LRT.

ESO further warned that some connections might not be restored until Aug. 27-29.

While the storm left thousands without water, power, mobile signal, or heating, several towns were reportedly close to declaring a local state of emergency.

Rail services were also disrupted after fallen trees and branches blocked tracks and damaged overhead lines, affecting around 3,500 passengers, according to the report.

Although the obstructions have since been cleared, power disruptions remained in parts of the railway network, potentially causing delays of up to 30 minutes on Monday.

Meanwhile, storm-related insurance claims in Lithuania could reach €3 million ($3.4 million), according to Mantas Norkus, head of the customer service center at Lietuvos Draudimas.

While the storm has already caused more than €1 million in insured losses, the company expects the total to rise further, potentially reaching €3 million.

“This was undoubtedly the largest storm of the year,” Norkus said.

Most of the damage was reported to buildings and other property, caused by strong winds, falling trees and branches, and heavy rainfall.

According to Lithuania’s Hydrometeorological Service, some areas saw nearly a month’s worth of rainfall within just 12 hours.

Near the Baltic coast, the town of Silute experienced rainfall equivalent to 93% of its typical total for the entire month of August.