Rivers reach spring flood levels
Waters of the Aurajoki river in Turku rose to unusually high levels this month.
Image: YLE / Joona Haarala
Heavy rains have raised the discharge of rivers in southern Finland to spring flood levels in some places, according to the Environmental Administration. Finland’s southern coast has seen a record amount of December rain.
The authority says that last weekend’s rains have caused rivers to overflow in southern and south-western Finland.
The Environmental Administration’s lead hydrologist, Bertil Vehviläinen, says that recent river floods have, however, not brought about any major damage.
The southern coast has received up to 80mm of rain this month, beating records of the past 50 years.
For example, the discharge of Kiskonjoki river has risen to flood levels. The Karjaanjoki and Loimijoki rivers are also expected to flood.
Vehviläinen says that there is nothing exceptional in the situation, since fluctuations in the routes of low-pressure areas are mostly behind the phenomenon. However climate change has also played a part, according to Vehviläinen.
YLE