Storms damage graves in Lithuanian cemetery

Residents visiting the Karmėlava cemetery in Lithuania were met with scenes of devastation after a recent storm swept through the region. Fallen trees, uprooted by the severe weather, have caused significant damage to burial sites, toppling headstones, destroying fences, and damaging other grave infrastructure.

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This time the storm really battered Lithuania quite a bit, so my husband and I decided to see if our relatives' graves had suffered any damage.

One visitor, Elena, described the initial appearance of the cemetery as calm, but upon venturing deeper, she discovered the extent of the storm's impact. Large trees were found uprooted, with their heavy trunks crushing graves. While some trees fell in ways that miraculously avoided damaging monuments, others caused considerable destruction.

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Upon arriving at Karmėlava cemetery, it initially seemed like there had been no storm here at all, but as we went deeper into the cemetery, a clearer picture emerged. In some places, large trees were simply uprooted, and their heavy trunks fell onto the graves.

Elena recounted seeing one tree fall conveniently between burial plots, leaving them untouched. However, another tree's fall resulted in the destruction of a headstone and fences. Some graves were entirely covered by the branches and thick trunks of fallen pine trees, leaving visitors uncertain about how repairs would be managed without causing further damage.

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I saw how a tree, one could say, fell very conveniently, not touching a single monument, just falling into the gaps. But another tree caused damage. Falling, it took the headstone and fences with it, not to mention the candle holders.

While cleanup efforts have commenced in some parts of the Karmėlava cemetery, with branches already cut and prepared for removal, the task of restoring the cemetery to its original state is substantial. The article also notes that in other affected areas like Anykščiai and Kazlų Rūda, power outages and disruptions to water supply are still being addressed following the storm.

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There were also graves that were completely covered by the branches of a fallen pine tree, or a thick trunk leaned against a stone headstone. I don't know how people will manage there, it will take many hands to start cutting the trunk, so that parts of the tree don't crush everything.