Chaos in Estonia as Violent Snowstorm Rages, Leaves One Dead
A severe snowstorm is raging through Estonia, leaving many roads impassable, thousands without electricity and taking one life.
By 09:00 on December 10, the furious storm named Monica had caused power outages in around 68,600 households and more than 50 traffic accidents as extreme winds and snowfall continued.
The Road Administration is closing roads, as many have become impassable, and the Rescue Board is evacuating people whose vehicles have become stuck in snow.
A man died on the Tallinn-Narva highway around 21:35 on November 9, as he was hit by a passing vehicle when exiting his Land Rover, which was stuck in the snow.
Rescue Board press representative Reimo Raja speaking on ETV warned that even a walk outside can be dangerous, not to speak of driving.
"Here and there, trees have fallen on electricity lines, but since there is so much snow, there have been situations where people, like a mother with two small children, were trapped by the snow," said Raja.
"There was one incidence in which a person with heart disease was ensnared in his car by the snow. Rescuers helped him out," said the press representative.
This news was brought to you by an ERR News editor whose international flight from the snow-ridden Tallinn Airport was delayed for the third time.