© Janne KörkköFloodwaters in the village of Niemelänkylä in Ylivieska, Northern Ostrobothnia, on Sunday.
Water levels were expected to rise further on Sunday, especially in the village of Niemelänkylä in Ylivieska, the North Ostrobothnia Rescue Service said in a press release.
The Kalajoki river has overflowed its banks this weekend in the municipalities of Ylivieska, Alavieska and Kalajoki. Three people had to be evacuated on Saturday night from Niemelänkylä, 130km south of Oulu. No injuries were reported.
The rescue service predicted that floodwaters would peak on Sunday and Monday. However ice dams have formed in the river, making it difficult to predict flooding.
The critical flood situation in the Kalajoki Valley took a new turn on Saturday afternoon, when two ice dams in the river collapsed in Alavieska. Residents of a few houses were evacuated at that point.
Snow possible this week
The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) forecast calls for more mild weather with rain or sleet in some areas on Sunday.
Daytime highs on Sunday may reach 12 degrees Celsius in some western areas, and up to 10 degrees in North Ostrobothnia. Temperatures on Monday will be cooler but still above freezing throughout the country, except in the far northwestern arm of Finnish Lapland.
The long-term forecast calls for temperatures to plunge back down to -11 in North Ostrobothnia by Friday, with a chance of snow on Tuesday evening.
Yle meteorologist Nina Karusto said that snow is likely even in southern parts of the country next week.
The Flood Centre, a joint service of the FMI and the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) has issued warnings of local flooding in many parts of western Finland in the next few days. The highest amber alert levels are in Ostrobothnia, South Ostrobothnia and the western part of North Ostrobothnia.
Reader Comments
to our Newsletter