Flooding closes roads in southern Lapland as melting snow and rain overwhelm frozen drains

Melting snow and heavy rainfall have caused flooding across southern Lapland, forcing road closures and straining municipal and emergency services, reports Finnish broadcaster Yle.

In Keminmaa, rising water blocked traffic on Rovaniementie road after two cars became trapped under a railway bridge. Frozen stormwater drains and ditches, unable to handle the sudden influx of meltwater and rain, have left roads submerged in multiple locations.

Joona Peltoniemi, a maintenance supervisor at the Lapland Centre for Economic Development, described the situation as unusual, with more culverts and ditches frozen than in a typical spring. “We’ve had to clear ice-blocked drainage channels, and water has temporarily cut off access under a couple of bridges,” he said.

Keminmaa’s technical director, Jussi Korpi, confirmed that the municipality’s resources are stretched thin. “This is creating extra work and urgency. We don’t have enough personnel, so we’re hiring contractors to open up the ditches,” Korpi said.

The Lapland Rescue Department has also responded to flooding incidents, including a case in Lautiosaari where meltwater threatened a residential property after a storm drain clogged. While no major interventions were needed at the flooded underpass in Keminmaa’s centre, rescue services reported multiple calls about rising water levels.

“Spring has caught us off guard with its rapid pace,” said Ville Rankinen, duty station chief at the Lapland Rescue Department. He advised residents to pump out water themselves where possible, reserving emergency calls for uncontrollable situations.

The early thaw—weeks ahead of schedule—has raised concerns about sudden flooding, particularly in peatland areas where water may surge unpredictably. Juha Kämäräinen, a senior water management specialist, noted that while overnight frosts may slow the melt, rivers and low-lying areas are already seeing rising water levels.

Satellite monitoring by Kemijoki Oy shows water pooling on peatlands, with frozen drainage channels increasing flood risks. Heikki Poikela, the company’s production and continuity manager, warned that sudden releases from saturated peatlands could occur, as seen in Sodankylä in 2018. “We’re prepared for peatland flooding. It’s not a catastrophe—reservoirs have capacity, and we’re pre-emptively lowering water levels in power plant basins,” he said.