Several weather warnings have been issued and in the coastal area from Sundsvall down to the north of Gävle, SMHI warns of such high water flows that they only occur every 50 years.
– The ground is already saturated in that area. At the same time, we have snowmelt and together this leads to a great risk of floods, says SVT’s meteorologist Deana Bajic.
“Troubling” situation
In Hudiksvall, there had been 40 millimeters of rain in just one day on Saturday morning. The municipality’s preparedness group has held a meeting there due to the weather chaos.
– The situation is very worrying and we are following the situation very closely. Hornån is now rising by 5-6 cm per hour and the peak is still far from being reached, says Jan Kroppegård, chief of staff in crisis situations, on the municipality’s website.
The rescue services in Västernorrland alert about a difficult situation in the municipalities of Sundsvall, Timrå and Härnösand. In a press release, they write that socially important infrastructure must be prioritized, and that private individuals “may take their own measures as far as possible”.
Roads closed
Several roads have also been affected by floods and are completely or partially closed. The Swedish Transport Administration has issued a warning for difficult road conditions in Gävleborg, Dalarna, Jämtland and Västernorrland. Travelers are advised to take it easy and keep their distance.
Even during Sunday, SMHI’s warnings remain in place in several places, mainly around the east coast in central Sweden.