1 person dies as Latvia and Lithuania are hit by a powerful storm

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — One person died and some 200,000 households were left without electricity in Lithuania and neighboring Latvia as strong storm winds and heavy rain pounded the Baltic nations overnight.

A 50-year-old woman was killed in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, by a falling tree on Monday, authorities said. Fire and rescue officials in both countries have received hundreds of emergency calls for fallen trees, damaged cars and flooded roads and fields.

In Lithuania, authorities warned people to travel only in urgent situations as the storm was bringing more severe winds and catastrophic levels of rain into most regions in the country of 2.8 million. In the districts of Šiauliai, Telšiai and Šilalė, a month’s worth of rain was recorded on Sunday and Monday, Lithuanian meteorologists said.

Weather experts said prevailing strong winds in Latvia are set to continue to raise water levels along the coast of the Gulf of Riga, and the Daugava river which runs through the capital, Riga, may flood.

Officials in Riga said early Monday that the capital’s central Dome Square has been temporarily closed due to the danger posed to the public by wind damage to a section of roof on the medieval Dome Cathedral.

In Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, dozens of large trees were brought down by the powerful wind gusts, falling on roads, cars and houses.

A handful of flights were canceled or diverted to other airports in Lithuania as planes were unable to land in Vilnius or the second-city, Kaunas, due to the storm. There were also delays and cancellations on the rail network.

The southern part of Estonia, the third Baltic state, was also hit by heavy rain and storm winds but avoided major material damage.

The storm is expected to remain in the region at least until Monday afternoon.

The Associated Press