HELSINKI: The death toll in Sweden rose to three after a storm battered Scandinavia Saturday and overnight, with thousands still without power on Sunday.
The storm, dubbed Johannes in Sweden, swept over large parts of the northern half of the country and western parts of Finland.
A man in his 60s who had been working in the forest was hit by a falling tree on Saturday in Hofors in Sweden, police said on Sunday.
He later died of his injuries in the hospital.
The fatality adds to the two reported on Saturday: a man in his 50s died at the hospital after also being hit by a falling tree near the Kungsberget ski resort in central Sweden, Mats Lann of Gavleborg police told AFP.
Further north, regional utility Hemab said that one of its employees had died in an accident “in the field.”
Broadcaster SVT reported that the worker had also been caught under a falling tree.
Strong gusts toppled trees, disrupted traffic and caused large power outages in Sweden and Finland.
In Finland, more than 85,000 homes were still without power around 12 am local time (10 gmt) on Sunday after a peak of over 180,000.
Energy companies warned the reparation work might take several days.
Meanwhile, Swedish news agency TT reported that at least 40,000 Swedish homes were still left without electricity on Sunday morning.
Sweden’s death toll from storm rises to three
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Sweden’s death toll from storm rises to three
- The storm, dubbed Johannes in Sweden, swept over large parts of the northern half of the country and western parts of Finland
Venezuela aims to boost oil output but sanctions stand in the way, VP says
- Sanchez called the recent capture of Nicolas Maduro a “dark day” for the country
DUBAI: Venezuela’s Vice President for Economy Calixto Ortega Sanchez said on Wednesday that his country needed vast foreign investment and sanctions relief to tap its huge oil reserves and restart its ailing economy.
“We know that the reference for Venezuela is that (it is) the country with the biggest oil reserves, and we want to stop being known for this, and we want to be known as one of the countries with the highest production levels,” Sanchez said.
Responding to questions by American journalist Tucker Carlson, Sanchez called the recent capture of Nicolas Maduro a “dark day” for the country but said Venezuela was working to reestablish a relationship with the US, which he described as a “natural partner” for the country.
“The Venezuelan people and authorities have shown that they are ready to peacefully move forward and to build opportunities,” he said during a session at the World Government Summit.
Sanchez, who headed Venezuela’s central bank, said the most pertinent issue facing his country is continued US sanctions.
Despite failing to result in regime change, the sanctions had effectively stifled the economy from growing, he added.
He said the Venezuelan government was now working to reform its laws to allow foreign investment and hoped the US would ease sanctions to aid their work.
“The first decisions that interim President Rodriguez took was to go to the National Assembly and ask for reform to the hydrocarbon law … this law will allow international investors to go to Venezuela with favorable conditions, with legal assurance of their investments,” he added.
“The economy is ready for investment. The economy is ready for the private sector; it is ready to build up a better future for the Venezuelan people.”
Sanchez played down inferences by Carlson that his government had been taken over, insisting that the regime still held authority in the country. He said the country had set up two funds to receive money from oil production that would fund better welfare and social conditions for Venezuelans.
“Allow us to have access to our own assets … we don’t have access to our own money,” he added.
“If you allow us to function like a regular country, Venezuela will show extraordinary improvement and growth.”
