Severe thunderstorms in the Czech Republic: Lightning halts traffic on major railway line
The Czech Republic was hit by severe thunderstorms on Saturday evening, causing complications in transport and power supplies. The most affected areas were regions in Moravia, specifically the Holešov, Přerov, and Zlín districts.
Due to the adverse weather, railway traffic had to be halted on the busy line between Přerov and Břeclav. The cause was a lightning strike that damaged the signaling equipment and overhead lines. Technical crews intervened immediately on-site, working to restore service as quickly as possible.
The storms were accompanied by strong gusty winds and intense rainfall, which caused local problems in some areas. Firefighters in the affected regions responded to dozens of incidents, primarily to remove fallen trees from roads and to pump water out of flooded basements.
Meteorologists warned that thunderstorm activity was very intense on Saturday evening. Residents in the affected areas were urged to exercise caution, especially when moving outdoors or driving vehicles, where there was a risk due to reduced visibility and slippery roads.
The situation gradually calmed down overnight, and technicians worked on repairing the damaged infrastructure. Replacement bus service was provided to rail passengers during the outage to minimize the impact on their travel.