A powerful winter storm, named Storm Johannes, has swept through Nordic countries, resulting in the deaths of two people in Sweden. As the storm wreaks havoc across the region, it has caused significant travel disruptions and power outages, impacting daily life for countless residents.
The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute issued alerts for strong winds affecting large parts of northern Sweden as this storm advanced. Reports confirm that a man in his 50s was tragically killed after being struck by a tree at Kungsberget ski resort, while another fatality involved a regional utility worker during an operational accident.
In light of the severe weather, over 40,000 homes in Sweden, along with many more in Norway and Finland, have lost electricity. Sweden’s news agency TT reports extensive cancellations of rail services, and significant disruptions experienced in air and ferry travel throughout the region.
Particularly in Norway's Nordland county, emergency services responded to over 200 storm-related incidents. Storm Johannes has led to power outages affecting approximately 23,000 homes in the Nordland region alone.
In Finland, where the storm is known as Hannes, the impacts were similarly severe, resulting in around 33,000 homes being left without power after fierce winds subsided on Sunday morning. At Kittila airport, heavy winds caused a passenger jet to veer off the runway, fortunately resulting in no injuries.
The Swedish Transport Administration has advised travelers that many train services will be suspended until noon on Sunday, urging the public to stay safe during this extreme weather event.
