“We have recorded about 68 traffic accidents by 10 a.m., a figure that usually occurs over an entire day, so the situation is certainly difficult,” Loreta Levulytė-Staškevičienė, head of municipal transport operator JUDU, told reporters at the municipality building on Friday.
City officials said snow-clearing crews have been working continuously since early morning, but progress has been slowed by heavy traffic and compacted snow turning to ice.
“Conditions are difficult for both transport and pedestrians, but crews of as many as five firms have been working non-stop since early morning. Sidewalks are being cleared as quickly as possible, with full clearance only possible once the snowfall ends, on Saturday afternoon, as expected,” Gintaras Runovičius, head of City Environment Division, said.
Public transport delays of up to 40 minutes were reported, while the municipality said it did not plan to declare an emergency in the meantime.
The Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service (LHMT) said snow was expected in parts of the country on Friday, mainly in southeastern Lithuania, with northeast and north winds bringing gusts of 9 to 14 metres per second, and up to 17 metres per second in some areas. Temperatures were forecast to fall to between minus seven and minus 12 degrees Celsius.