Winter storm leaves behind damage worth EUR millions in Finland
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The powerful winter storm that raged across Northern Europe during the weekend caused flooding in many coastal areas of Finland on Saturday night and Sunday.
According to Director of Rescue Services Unit Janne Koivukoski of Finland’s Ministry of the Interior, the water damage caused by flooding will rise to millions of euros. In addition to private property, the water damaged sewer systems, harbours and roads.
An economic catastrophe is looming over many households, as apparently not all insurance companies intend to cover losses due to damage caused by flooding. In some companies only homeowners’ insurance policies are designed to protect homeowners from financial losses caused by flood-related damage, whereas in others even real estate insurance policies provide flood coverage.
Moreover, even homeowners’ insurance policies may cover just the losses of movable property but not the expenses incurred in taking temporary accommodation. According to the Federation of Finnish Insurance Companies, it would be advisable for homeowners to contact the insurance company in order to find out the exact terms of each real estate insurance policy and homeowners’ insurance policy.
According to Janne Koivukoski of the Ministry of the Interior, all flood-related losses in Finland were property-related, and there were no reports of casualties.
In the coastal suburbs of Helsinki, including Marjaniemi, Tammisalo, Laajasalo, and Kulosaari, water had to be pumped out of cellars. In other parts of the city, including Lauttasaari, flooding was caused by the blocking of sewers. Furthermore, flooding water even hit the tunnels which accommodate the district heating pipes and electric and telephone cables, as well as water and sewer pipes.
In the Helsinki metropolitan area, water had to be pumped out of about a hundred buildings on Sunday, while in the seaside city of Hamina further east, rescue services were needed in some 200 buildings after the sea level rose by about two metres from the average figure.
Ferry traffic to Estonia and Sweden has returned to normal, while there are still motorists in Tallinn who could not return to Finland over the Gulf during the weekend, as ferry services were cancelled.
Some Finnish passengers had to interrupt their vacations in the Estonian coastal town of Pärnu after the spa resorts were cut off by flooding water and hundreds of tourists had to be evacuated.
Currently the storm is over, but heavy winds are continuing. The Finnish Meteorological Institute has given warnings of high winds and gales for sea areas. Furthermore, more rain or snow is predicted shortly, and road conditions in the entire country will take a turn for the worse because of snow or slush. However, the water level came down in the coastal areas and rivers on Monday.
According to Director of Rescue Services Unit Janne Koivukoski of Finland’s Ministry of the Interior, the water damage caused by flooding will rise to millions of euros. In addition to private property, the water damaged sewer systems, harbours and roads.
An economic catastrophe is looming over many households, as apparently not all insurance companies intend to cover losses due to damage caused by flooding. In some companies only homeowners’ insurance policies are designed to protect homeowners from financial losses caused by flood-related damage, whereas in others even real estate insurance policies provide flood coverage.
Moreover, even homeowners’ insurance policies may cover just the losses of movable property but not the expenses incurred in taking temporary accommodation. According to the Federation of Finnish Insurance Companies, it would be advisable for homeowners to contact the insurance company in order to find out the exact terms of each real estate insurance policy and homeowners’ insurance policy.
According to Janne Koivukoski of the Ministry of the Interior, all flood-related losses in Finland were property-related, and there were no reports of casualties.
In the coastal suburbs of Helsinki, including Marjaniemi, Tammisalo, Laajasalo, and Kulosaari, water had to be pumped out of cellars. In other parts of the city, including Lauttasaari, flooding was caused by the blocking of sewers. Furthermore, flooding water even hit the tunnels which accommodate the district heating pipes and electric and telephone cables, as well as water and sewer pipes.
In the Helsinki metropolitan area, water had to be pumped out of about a hundred buildings on Sunday, while in the seaside city of Hamina further east, rescue services were needed in some 200 buildings after the sea level rose by about two metres from the average figure.
Ferry traffic to Estonia and Sweden has returned to normal, while there are still motorists in Tallinn who could not return to Finland over the Gulf during the weekend, as ferry services were cancelled.
Some Finnish passengers had to interrupt their vacations in the Estonian coastal town of Pärnu after the spa resorts were cut off by flooding water and hundreds of tourists had to be evacuated.
Currently the storm is over, but heavy winds are continuing. The Finnish Meteorological Institute has given warnings of high winds and gales for sea areas. Furthermore, more rain or snow is predicted shortly, and road conditions in the entire country will take a turn for the worse because of snow or slush. However, the water level came down in the coastal areas and rivers on Monday.
Helsingin Sanomat