Nearly 96 000 customers in the Czech Republic were without power on Thursday morning due to powerful winds. According to spokespersons’ statements for ČEZ Distribuce and E.ON, the worst situation is in the Karlovy Vary and Central Bohemia regions. Strong winds threaten the whole Czech Republic until midnight tonight. In Sněžka, they recorded hurricane-force winds, gusting to 181 km/h.
The wind is not letting up, and the power supply situation is not improving. “As of 8 a.m., we registered 46 faults on high voltage lines in the Hradec Králové Region, which means 76,500 households are without power. The most affected areas include Hradec Králové and its surroundings, the Jičín region towards Semily, the Náchod region, the Trutnov region, and the Rychnov region,” ČEZ spokeswoman Šárka Lapáčková Beránková informed us on Thursday morning.
Hurricane-force winds were reported from Snezka, 181 km/h at impact. The mountain service in Krkonoše does not recommend Ridge hikes. Both sections of the cable car to Sněžka are at a standstill.
Complications in transport
The storm is also causing problems with transport. Fallen trees stopped traffic on several lines in the morning, and some roads were impassable. According to a statement by Czech Railways and the police on Twitter, this is true. The number of firefighters’ calls connected with the strong wind is growing this morning, with over 170 calls for technical assistance recorded from midnight to 06:00, the firefighters said on Twitter.
Overhead line failures are hampering rail traffic on the line between Plzeň and Cheb in the section between Lázně Kynžvart and Lipová u Cheb, while in the Karlovy Vary region, trains are stationary between Cheb and Františkovy Lázně or between Toužim and Otročín stations. In the Liberec Region, traffic is interrupted near Tanvald. A tree fell on the line near Zruč nad Sázavou. In the Central Bohemian Region, trains will not pass between the stations Plaňany and Radim or Ledeček and Kácov.