Heavy Rains Close Highway, Distress Farmers
Flood waters have closed a highway in Pärnu County and are creating problems for farmers in western Estonia.
The sea level rose 115 centimeters above average early this morning, as the Pärnu River also rose dramatically, reported uudised.err.ee.
Experts from the marine institute at the Tallinn University of Technology said the sea level will continue to rise tonight, to reach about 134 centimeters above average.
That is still short of the 160 centimeters above average that would threaten to damage buildings.
Such rains are typical in spring, but not for December, which has been unusually warm and wet this year.
In Lääne County, the Kasari River is also flooding, a problem for farmers struggling to clear out their silage bails from muddy fields that can't support heavy machinery without causing destruction.
One of the affected farmers, Kalle Kadastik from Pagasi, said he hasn't experienced this kind of unseasonal weather for decades.
Ott Tammik