Storm damage. Photo: PAP/Adam Warzawa

Over 60,000 people are without electricity as hurricane-force winds have wreaked havoc across northern Poland, downing power lines, uprooting trees and tearing down advertising billboards.

In the Pomeranian province, wind speed was recorded at 110 km/h. 49,000 people there are without power as a result. Further west, in the district of Koszalin, 2,000 subscribers are without electricity as a result of downed power lines.

According to forecasters from the Crisis Management Centre in the north-western city of Szczecin, winds are to remain at around 80 km/h on Wednesday, subsiding in the evening.

The north-eastern Warmian-Masurian province has also felt the brunt of the high winds. In Olsztyn, gusts tore down a billboard which fell onto a mother and child passing by. The woman managed to rescue her child before the impact, however.

Around 11,000 electricity subscribers do not have power throughout the province. (jb)

Source: IAR