Strong winds leave 18,000 households in Czechia without power

Around 18,000 customers in Czechia were left without electricity on Thursday morning due to strong winds, according to ČEZ energy company spokeswoman Soňa Holingerová. The worst-hit areas included Rychnov nad Kněžnou, Semily, and Olomouc. ČEZ reported 31 faults on high-voltage lines and several more on low-voltage networks. Crews have been reinforced and are working to restore power during the day. Meteorologists have issued warnings for parts of Hradec Králové, Olomouc, and Moravian-Silesian regions, where gusts reached up to 80 km/h in lowlands and over 90 km/h in the mountains.