Strong wind cuts thousands of Czech households from power

Prague, Sept 30 (CTK) – Some 20,000 households in the Czech Republic, mainly in Central Bohemia, have been without power supplies since this morning as a consequence of strong wind, the CEZ state-controlled power utility spokeswoman Sona Holingerova told CTK today.

The power outages were caused by trees and branches falling on electric wires.

The CEZ workers have been operating in the field to resume the power supplies.

The E.ON private power utility has registered only a few cases of power outages in south Moravia, its spokeswoman Bozena Herodesova said.

Around 6:00 this morning, CEZ monitored 15 breakdowns of electric wiring, while an hour and a half later, it was 26 cases.

At present, 15,000 places in Central Bohemia are cut from power, while the worst situation is in the vicinities of Kolin, Benesov, Kutna Hora, Prague-East and Prague-West. About 7,000 places were cut from power in west Bohemia, mainly around Klatovy, Domazlice and Tachov.

In reaction to the meteorologists’ warning, CEZ has reinforced its staff in its call centre and in the field.

As the wind is to culminate at around 13:00, CEZ expects the number of power outage cases to rise further, Holingerova said.

The strongest wind of 157 km/hour was reported on Snezka, the country’s highest mountain (1602 m) in the Giant Mountains (Krkonose), east Bohemia, while in Prague the wind speed of 68 km/hour was measured, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute said.

Since the morning, firefighters have assisted in dozens of accidents caused by the strong wind, mainly removing fallen trees.

Train connection was interrupted on several lines in Central Bohemia Region due to fallen trees blocking the rails. A train bumped into a tree on a railway near Beroun this morning, but no one was injured, Central Bohemia firefighters spokesman Jaroslav Gabriel said.

He added that trees had fallen on roads, electric wires and weekend cabins as well.

Today’s strong wind has also complicated transport in the Vysocina, South Moravia and Pardubice regions, east Bohemia, as well as in other parts of the country. Some rail lines and roads have been closed over fallen trees and firefighters are removing them.

Meteorologists pointed out that strong wind might cut the trees weakened by a long drought and the bark-beetle calamity.

The strong wind warning is valid all over the Czech Republic until 20:00 today when the wind is expected to calm down.

hol/dr/bas