Stormy Weather Across Northern Europe Idles Ferries and Delays Flights

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Stormy weather across the Baltic Sea region Monday caused airport delays, suspended ferry service and a train`s partial derailment along with lots of rain.

No one was injured when two of the train`s passenger cars went off the tracks in Sweden, police said. The derailment happened because “the embankment has been undermined by the heavy rain and landslides,” they said.

Ferries linking Poland to Sweden, two German islands to mainland Germany and Norway to Denmark remained in harbor. Ferries and water taxis to the German islands of Hiddensee and Ruegen were canceled for Monday and Tuesday morning, and vacationers were asked to change their travels plans to Wednesday.

Latvian television reported trees getting knocked over in wind gusts of up to 108 kilometers per hour (67 miles per hour). Meteorologists in Latvia also reported golf ball-sized hail in Apgulde, a village southwest of Riga, the capital.

The Baltic News Service said the storm caused extensive damage in the nearby Dobele region. Posts on social media showed one of the affected properties was a park in Tervete, a popular recreational area that includes a children`s play area inspired by Latvian fairy tales.

In Denmark, police in the northeastern part of the country said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that “the weather is still harsh.”

The fire department for greater Copenhagen urged people to stay away from parks and forests, saying “the combination of rain-soaked ground and storms increases the risk of trees falling.”

In southern Norway, authorities raised the extreme weather warning alert to its highest due to heavy rain, mudslides and flash floods. Flooded streets were also reported in Oslo, Norway`s capital.

On Sunday, thousands of lightning strikes were reported in Sweden.