A tragedy among our neighbors. Flood instead of harvest

Tragedia u naszych sąsiadów. Powódź zamiast żniw

July storm. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia under water

On Monday, July 29, 2024, extreme rainfall occurred over the territory of the Baltic countries. This is the result of Cyclone Kirsti in this part of Europe. Latvia and Lithuania were the hardest hit, where locally up to half of the traditional average annual rainfall fell in a short period of time. This has led to serious flooding, and a significant increase in water levels in rivers may pose further threats.

In cities such as Riga and Vilnius, thousands of residents were cut off from electricity and had limited access to drinking water. Buildings, roofs, fences, roads and vehicles were damaged. According to the first reports, as a result of the impact of Cyclone Kirsti, several people were taken to hospital, and one woman died as a result of the impact of a fallen tree.

There will be no harvest. Flooded fields

In cyclone-affected areas, it is estimated that the harvest was only 50 percent completed before the storm hit. The Latvian Minister of Agriculture announced that information on losses of over 30 percent is being collected. winter wheat cultivation area and over 40 percent rapeseed area. Cereals and rapeseed waiting to be harvested were completely under water in many places. The sowing of winter rapeseed is also in question, as the flooded fields may not be suitable for entry with agricultural equipment for many weeks. There are reports that insurers are not ready to handle compensation payments on such a scale.

Vegetable producers and fruit growers are also experiencing the tragedy. They say, among others, that there will be no harvest this year. blueberry and apple growers. Many greenhouses were literally wiped out. Potato crops were also affected due to the cyclone.