Storms devastate Varėna district, leaving homes damaged and residents without power

A weekend storm left a trail of destruction in Lithuania's Varėna district, with the village of Puodžiai in Jakėnai municipality bearing the brunt of the damage. Strong winds ripped roofs off several residential and industrial buildings, toppled numerous trees, and left some residents without electricity due to downed power lines.

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Strong winds ripped roofs off several residential and industrial buildings, toppled numerous trees, and left some residents without electricity – downed power lines, with trees hanging on them.

The local municipality expressed its condolences to the affected residents. Emergency services, including fire brigades, worked through the night to clear approximately 70 fallen trees that had blocked roads. The Žiliniai team cleared about 30 trees, with Gudžiai and Valkininkai teams clearing around 20 each. These swift actions by firefighters helped restore traffic on the main district roads. An agricultural company, "Tėviškė," also assisted in clearing the storm-ravaged areas.

The full extent of the damage is still being assessed. Washouts at culverts on some roads have been identified and reported to the road maintenance company. Efforts are underway in cooperation with electricity providers and other responsible agencies to restore power to residents as quickly as possible. The municipality thanked firefighters, municipal staff, electricity specialists, and residents for their assistance and mutual support during the cleanup.

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We sincerely sympathize with the residents affected by this disaster.

Residents are urged to remain vigilant and avoid approaching any dangerous fallen trees or power lines, reporting any hazards to the responsible authorities. The storm, which moved across Lithuania on Saturday night into Sunday, brought strong winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms, causing similar issues in other parts of the country.

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If there are still dangerously hanging trees or power lines in your vicinity, please do not approach them and report the danger to the responsible authorities.