An unusually strong winter storm caused trouble in Southern Finland and on the Gulf of Finland on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Trees fell and cut power lines, and for instance in some areas in Espoo around 10,000 households had no electricity at all for up to an hour. The Iso Omena shopping mall was among the sites to be hit, with all power going out and shoppers being forced to interrupted their attack on the post-Christmas sales.

   

According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the wind was about 25 metres per second on Monday evening. Water flooded onto the Market Square in Helsinki, with the sea whipped up to more than a metre above the normal.

   

The sea level rose and cut roads in many places in Southern Finland including Highway 170 from Helsinki to the East. For instance in Porvoo, people had to be rescued from their cars when the water from the Porvoo River overflowed into nearby streets.

The Alarm Centre in Helsinki

recorded over 120 emergencies caused by the storm by 11.00 o'clock on Monday night.

   

The saddest incident in Helsinki occurred when an elderly protected willow tree in Salomonkatu near the bus station was cut down by the storm. According to the Helsinki City Planning Department, the tree had originally been planted at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries and it was protected by decree several decades ago. The estimated age of the tree was 170-200 years. On Tuesday hundreds of Helsinki citizens came to see the remains of the old tree, a familiar landmark.

   

For the time being the tree-stump will be kept untouched partly because it is possible that it will start to push out new shoots. Besides, the protection must be annulled before the stump can be removed.