According to the Pärnu city government, rescue work continues and Rescue Board teams are continuing to pump water from flooded areas into the Pärnu River.

"By morning, the water level across the entire Rääma area has dropped by about 25 centimeters. As a number, it may seem like a small change, but it has a significant impact on the residents of the area: hundreds of households where water was still inside the house last night have by morning been freed from the water trap, and residents can begin assessing the first damages," the city government wrote on social media.

At the same time, it was emphasized that the danger has not yet fully passed.

Major operations continue in several areas

Rescue Board said on Saturday that major operations in Pärnu are taking place in the Rääma oja area, around Sinioja in Paikuse, and on Pärnu maantee in the town of Sindi. Preparations are underway for pumping in the Tammiste residential district.

According to the agency's forecast, pumping operations will continue for at least another 24 hours, until Sunday under current conditions.

In Pärnu, additional teams from across Estonia are assisting local professional and volunteer rescue crews. Extra pumping resources have arrived from Elva, Iisaku, Tallinn, Muuga, Rakvere and Valga. The technical rescue unit of the Rescue Association has also been involved.

According to the head of Pärnu's crisis committee, rescuers have arrived from Tallinn, Rapla, Valga and Paide, Tõstamaa and Haapsalu.

"There has not been a rescue operation of this scale in Pärnu for a long time, and I want to personally thank every man and woman. In the morning, the brigades will rotate, but this does not mean the work will stop — far from it. Work continues so that all our people are freed from the water trap," said crisis committee head Sander Kilk.

Some streets are still closed

Due to water pumping, Õuna, Männi, Raba and Rääma tänav were closed before noon, and bus traffic in the area was rerouted.

The city government asks drivers to be especially attentive and follow safety rules.

The city government also calls on people to follow the Rescue Board's instructions, according to which electricity must be switched off immediately if water enters a building, flooded substations and electrical devices and cables must be avoided, and items that may be damaged or cause water contamination (chemicals, fuel) must be lifted off the ground.

Pärnu was hit on Friday morning by intense rainfall, which overloaded the sewer system and therefore flooded the city's streets and roads, and water also entered buildings. The amount of precipitation exceeded 100 mm, in places surpassing 120 mm.

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