Other events in Baltic States

The strong North-Eastern winds that ravaged Estonia Wednesday evening lowered the water level in the South West Estonian Pärnu river by over 80 cm, National Broadcasting/LETA reports.

Due to the low water level, ships could not sail from Pärnu port, the floating restaurant in the centre of the city and yachts in the yachting marina were tilted. The Sauga River that flows into Pärnu river resembled a bigger creek rather than a river.

Pärnu port captain Riho Prints stressed that a flood is always much worse than fall of water level, since it tends to cause damages and bigger accidents can happen with ships at sea and in the port.

He said that the major fall in the river’s water level was caused by a stable and very strong North East wind that swept through all Baltic States. “A vacuum emerged that took water out of the small shallow Pärnu Bay.”

Prints said that the water level fell up to 85 cm during the night. By now it is back to normal, 53 cm below the zero level which is not problem for shipping traffic anymore.

The biggest fall of the Pärnu river water level took place in 1976 and was 1.25 metres.