Minister: No One Expected Such Extensive Power Outages from Storm
Latvia's smart administration and regional development minister Edgars Tavars said the scale of power and communication disruptions caused by recent severe weather was unexpected, as preparations had mainly focused on flooding and heavy rain. The full extent of the damage is not yet known but could turn out to be record-breaking.
Speaking during a special news broadcast on Latvian Television, Edgars Tavars, minister of smart administration and regional development (VARAM) from the Union of Greens and Farmers/United List, said the scope of power supply and communication outages caused by recent severe weather in Latvia came as a surprise.
Preparations focused on a different scenario
According to the minister, authorities' readiness measures had largely been geared toward potential flooding and heavy rainfall rather than disruptions of this magnitude affecting electricity and communications networks. This suggests the actual course of events exceeded what had previously been anticipated.
Damage assessment still pending
Tavars stressed that it is currently impossible to determine the exact damage caused by the extreme weather. However, he indicated that the losses could potentially prove to be the largest recorded for this type of event to date.
The ministry is expected to continue monitoring the situation and evaluating the measures needed to address the consequences once more precise information about the damage becomes available.
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