Riga braces for severe storm, sets up emergency response headquarters
Riga's municipal government issued a top-level red warning on Saturday for prolonged, extremely heavy rain and a powerful storm, urging residents to stay indoors. An emergency headquarters has been set up to coordinate the response.
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The Riga municipal government has warned of dangerous weather conditions in the capital on August 22. Extremely heavy rain is expected to continue over the city until midnight, and a powerful storm is forecast to hit later in the day.
Red warning issued
Authorities have declared the highest level of alert — a red warning — for the situation. Wind gusts are expected to reach as much as 30 meters per second, posing real risks to both people and infrastructure.
Emergency headquarters and appeal to residents
To coordinate the response during the extreme weather, the municipality has set up an emergency operations headquarters. Residents are urged to stay at home during this period and avoid being outdoors, in order to reduce the risks posed by the strong wind and rain.
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