First winter gales cause accidents and power failures

The first winter storm, which hit Southern Finland over Tuesday night, has caused several minor accidents, felling trees and cutting off electricity supplies in different areas. According to the Finnish Road Administration (Finnra), road weather conditions remain extremely bad in Southern and Western Finland.
     
Finland's Mobile Police had recorded 38 traffic accidents in various parts of the province of Southern Finland by 9.00 a.m. on Wednesday. A bus and two cars were involved in an accident in the municipality of Vihti, north of Helsinki. One person was taken to hospital. Other accidents involving personal injuries have not been reported so far.
     
While the winter storm was sweeping across Southern Finland, the first snow of the season has caused an increasing number of minor incidents and accidents in the Eastern parts of the province of Uusimaa.
      According to the Mobile Police, this is a typical first winter storm, and around 100 accidents are likely to occur today. The only exception has been the absence of elk/vehicle collisions that would normally occur during the small hours of the morning this time of the year.
     
In Espoo and Kirkkonummi, the electric utility E.ON Finland estimated that up to 15,000 consumers were affected by blackouts, and still at 9.00 a.m. on Wednesday, 1,500 homes were without electricity. According to the company, most of the damage should be repaired by Wednesday afternoon. Moreover, consumers were advised to phone on the company's service number only in an emergency.
      According to power supplier Fortum, around 4,000 of its clients were without electricity in South-Western Finland and in the province of Uusimaa still in the morning. The company provided assurances that most of the homes should be back online by noon.
      Fortum also reported that a total of 15,000 of its clients suffered from power cuts caused by these first winter gales.
     
Nearly all high-speed passenger hydrofoils operating between Helsinki and Tallinn remained in port on Wednesday morning, reports the Port of Helsinki's Vessel Traffic Service.
      Helsinki-Vantaa Airport noted in the morning that thus far the gusting winds and snowfall have not significantly affected air traffic.
     
According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, road conditions are very bad in the western part of the country and even in the provinces of Itä-Uusimaa and Kymenlaakso, because of snow or sleet and strong winds. For the same reason, road conditions are poor even in the provinces of South Karelia, Etelä-Savo and Pohjois-Savo.
      Meteorologist Inna Haapa-Tynjälä is warning that because of the slippery roads, motorists are advised not to drive at all if their cars are still fitted with summer tyres.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Powerful storm hits train services and cuts off electricity around Finland (29.8.2005)
  Gales bring down power-lines and keep fast Tallinn craft in port (12.11.2004)

Links:
  Finnish Meteorological Institute
  Finnish Meteorological Institute: Warnings
  Finnish Road Administration