Storm lashes Vilnius, turning streets into canals and disrupting airport
A powerful storm that swept through Lithuania overnight caused major damage in Vilnius, with fallen trees, torn-off roofs and flooded streets. It also disrupted air traffic, forcing one flight to divert to Kaunas.
A severe storm that passed over Lithuania overnight into Sunday has left significant damage in Vilnius and its surroundings. Residents reported fallen trees and ripped-off rooftops, sharing photos and videos showing city streets turned into Venice-like canals.
The bad weather also affected Vilnius Airport. Due to strong wind gusts and heavy rain, two passenger planes could not safely touch down. A Ryanair flight from Athens was unable to land and was diverted to Kaunas Airport. Meanwhile, an Avion Express charter from Heraklion, Crete, circled near the airport to avoid the worst of the storm and landed successfully on its second attempt.
Several commercial outlets were also affected, and one of the city's largest shops, Maxima XXX, had to remain closed for the whole of Sunday. Firefighters responded to 34 calls related to broken trees, 27 of them in Vilnius.
