Two people have died in Sweden due to the powerful winter storm Johannes, which has swept across the Nordic region, causing widespread travel disruptions and power outages.
A man in his 50s died after being struck by a tree at the Kungsberget ski resort in southern Sweden, local media and police reported. Meanwhile, a regional service worker from Hemab also died in a separate accident related to the storm.
The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute issued warnings of strong winds across large parts of the country’s northern half. More than 40,000 homes in Sweden remain without electricity, and numerous railway services have been canceled, according to the TT news agency.
The storm also affected Norway and Finland. In Norway’s Nordland region, one of the northernmost counties, the fire department responded to over 200 weather-related incidents, reported broadcaster NRK. The storm left approximately 23,000 homes without electricity in Nordland and 9,000 homes in the Inland region.
In Finland, the storm—known locally as Hannes—subsided by Sunday morning but had left over 33,000 homes without power, according to public broadcaster Yle. Flights at Kittilä Airport in northern Finland were canceled after strong winds forced a passenger plane and a smaller aircraft off the runway.
A Swiss Air flight carrying roughly 150 passengers from Geneva was diverted due to severe weather, reported the Helsinki Times. No injuries were reported.
Overall, tens of thousands of homes across Sweden, Norway, and Finland remain without electricity, while flights, train services, and ferries have been canceled due to the extreme winter conditions.
