RIGA, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Latvia was hit by one of the most devastating storms of this century on Monday, with one person killed by a falling tree branch, authorities announced.
The Latvian meteorological center had issued a red-level storm warning, meaning that the gale-force winds were expected to cause extensive damage and endanger people's lives.
In the early afternoon, the capital city of Riga, seaside resort Jurmala and other cities in central Latvia were lashed by winds of up to 32 meters per second.
The storm brought down trees, ripped rooves from several buildings, and disrupted public transport in Riga, the State Fire and Rescue Service said.
In Jurmala, a falling tree branch killed an elderly woman, the ambulance service said.
According to grid operator Sadales Tikls, Monday's storm left around 20,000 households across Latvia without power.
Meanwhile, a number of flights from Riga Airport were diverted to airports in Lithuania due to the weather conditions. ■