GALE FORCE WINDS CAUSE POWER BREAKDOWN, TRAFFIC JAMS

ZAGREB, March 30 (Hina) - Most of north-western Croatia, including Zagreb, Karlovac and Sisak, are without electricity this morning because of gale-force winds that caused a breakdown at a sub- station near Zagreb. Croatian Electric Utility crews are currently connecting priority users - hospitals, the waterworks and tramways. But traffic chaos is still rife in downtown Zagreb, as crowds of willy-nilly pedestrians fight for place on buses and cars spill over onto the pavement, amid much blowing of horns. The City Transport Co. asked the citizens to show "patience". Roads to the coast and several sections of the Adriatic highway are closed except for passenger cars. A bridge connecting Krk Island to the coast is closed to traffic. Several buses are stranded in Karlobag (northern Adriatic), among them a large group of pilgrims headed for the Medjugorje shrine. The gales have caused havoc on the northern Adriatic coast in the past two days, damaging over a hundred pylons and leaving a number of villages without power. (hina) jn as 301453 MET mar 95