A strong storm was observed in the Baltic states

On August 22-23, the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, as well as Poland and Belarus, were hit by a powerful cyclone called Priska. The storm, which brought heavy rain and winds of more than 30 meters per second, killed at least two people. One person was killed by a falling tree in the northeastern Lithuanian town of Anyksai, while another was trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building in the Latvian city of Jelgava.

14 people in Latvia have sought medical attention, some of them seriously. Most of the victims were injured by falling trees or their branches. In some cases, people were trapped in cars when trees fell on them. Riga Airport warned of possible flight delays and advised passengers to constantly monitor flight information.

Rescue services in Lithuania also reported widespread tree damage, with one person injured.

The storm caused widespread power outages, mostly due to trees falling on power lines. More than 250,000 households in Latvia were without power, while the number in Lithuania was over 150,000. In Estonia, the number of households without power had dropped from about 3,500 on Saturday evening to 2,600 by Sunday morning. In Poland, more than 145,000 households were without power, while in Belarus, more than 650 settlements were affected.

In addition, some customers of mobile operators LMT and Tele2 in Latvia complained of communication problems.

Streets in cities in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were flooded. According to reports from Estonia, 50-70 millimeters of rain fell in one day, with some areas reaching 90 millimeters. The heavy rain caused water levels to rise in some rivers, including the Daugava River, which flows through Riga. Traffic in the city, including buses, was disrupted, and emergency services were pumping water from the roads. The basements of many buildings and the first floors of apartment buildings were also flooded.

A wind warning remained in effect in the region on August 23.