Flooding In Helsinki Centre Disrupts Traffic

The flooding from a burst water main was brought under control within a few hours, but officials estimate that the water which also flooded a number of business premises caused at least a million euros of damage.

On Sunday evening, Metro trains from the direction of Itäkeskus were turning back at the Sörnainen station. Services between Hakaniemi and Ruoholahti were suspended.

Trams 3B, 3T, 6 and 9 were also rerouted.

VR trains continued to run normally. The ground-level parts of the main Railway Station are accessible as per normal, but underground tunnels have been closed off by police.

According to the Helsinki City Rescue Department, the volume of water flooding the area indicated that a major water main had burst. No lives were in danger, but Rescue Department teams were on the scene investigating and pumping operations continued throughout Sunday evening into Monday morning.

On Monday officials from Helsinki Emergency Services said that no structural damage had been detected as a result of the flooding. Water distribution will be restored to normal later Monday evening in areas affected by the burst main.

Meanwhile Helsinki City Transport, HKL says the downtown flooding is likely to cause disruptions in the morning commute. The mtero has been running from Vuosaari and Mellunmäki up to Kaisaniemi.

HKL has estimated that the Kaisaniemi metro station will be up and running today to service the 60,000 passengers who use it daily. Services to the Railway Square station, Kamppi and Ruoholahti remain temporarily suspended.

Extra buses and trams will be on hand to help ease transportation woes and HKL is urging commuters to ensure that they reserve enough time for the journey to work and to consider alternative routes.

HKL says it seems likely that the Railway Station stop will be out of service for months.