Kuldīga residents unable to reach emergency service during storm
During the weekend's powerful summer storm, a resident of Kuldīga feared for her building's safety after an alarming noise and flooding, but the local emergency utility service could not be reached. Neighbours had to investigate and cope on their own, and the cause of the flooding was never identified.
A powerful summer storm that swept across Latvia over the weekend left a resident of Gaismas iela in Kuldīga fearing for the safety of her apartment building. A video shared in a residents' chat group showed a cracked wall in the stairwell accompanied by an alarming noise, prompting speculation about a possible electrical short circuit.
Seeking help, residents tried repeatedly to reach the Kuldīga municipal utility emergency service, but no one answered. With no response coming, the building manager and residents went to inspect the site themselves. It turned out the frightening sound came from wind-battered adhesive tape around a window rather than any structural damage.
Flooding with no explanation
The storm brought a second problem: two apartments began flooding, and water seeped into the stairwell, at one point reaching nearly ankle height. Once again, the emergency line remained unreachable, forcing residents to check attic hatches themselves in search of the source. The exact cause of the flooding was never found, and affected residents had to manage the situation on their own.
The resident noted that the unreachable emergency service was not the only issue — no information could be found on the municipality's website, its utility company's site, or social media about whom to contact in such situations. She said the experience raises concerns about readiness for more serious emergencies, noting that few people she later asked knew where to find information about shelters.
