Storm Johannes Hits Nordic Countries: 3 Dead, Electricity Out and Transportation Paralyzed

JAKARTA - At least three people were reported dead in Sweden after a large winter storm called 'Storm Johannes' hit the Nordic countries and caused widespread transport disruptions and power outages, Sunday, December 28.

Citing BBC, the Swedish Meteorological Agency issued a high wind warning for most of the country's northern regions following a storm that brought high winds and extreme weather.

A man in his 50s has reportedly died after being hit by a tree at the Kungsberget ski resort, southern Sweden.

In the north, regional utility company Hemab said an employee was killed in an accident while on duty in the storm.

Police also reported that a man in his 60s was rushed to hospital after being hit by a tree while working in a forest area in Hofors, central Sweden. The victim later died from his injuries.

The storm caused tens of thousands of homes in Sweden, Norway, and Finland to experience power outages. In Sweden alone, more than 40,000 homes were affected by power outages, while a number of train services were canceled, according to the TT news agency.

Disruption also hit the transportation sector in various Nordic regions. A number of flights, train trips, and ferry services were reportedly canceled due to bad weather conditions.

In Norway, especially in the Nordland region in the country's northernmost part, the fire service handled more than 200 incidents related to extreme weather. About 23,000 homes in Nordland reportedly lost power, while another 9,000 homes were affected in the Inland region.

Meanwhile in Finland, a storm known as Hannes began to subside on Sunday morning, but had caused more than 60,000 homes to lose power.

Strong winds also caused disruptions at Kittila Airport, northern Finland. A Swiss Air plane carrying about 150 passengers was reported to have been pushed off the runway after landing from Geneva. A small 400XT-type plane that was on the ground at the same time was also pushed into a pile of snow due to the wind.

There were no reports of injuries in the flight incident.