Deadly cyclone halts power for half a million in Baltic

A powerful cyclone tore through the Baltic region on Saturday, August 22, killing two people and leaving approximately half a million residents without power across Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and northeastern Poland. The storm, which brought torrential rain and winds exceeding 67 miles per hour, is being described as the most severe to hit Latvia in terms of overall impact since 2005.

One fatality occurred in Jelgava, central Latvia, when part of a building collapsed. In neighboring Lithuania, a person was killed by a falling tree. Dozens of injuries were reported across both countries, with firefighters responding to more than 2,200 storm-related calls combined.

The power outages were widespread. By Sunday morning, more than 250,000 customers were affected in both Latvia and Lithuania. In northeastern Poland, over 100,000 people lost power on Saturday, with some 18,000 still without electricity on Sunday. The western and northern regions of Estonia, including its islands, also experienced significant disruptions, with some 3,400 customers affected.

Transportation networks were heavily impacted. Rail services were delayed or halted in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia due to fallen...