Over One Million Euros Needed to Repair Flood Damage in Talsu Municipality; No State of Emergency Declared

Extent of Damage and Decision Against State of Emergency

On Monday, the Talsu region received 74 millimeters of rainfall, just four millimeters short of the monthly norm. The downpour ruptured the Dursupe mill pond dam, flooded surrounding areas, and washed out dozens of road sections, including the regional road Jūrmala–Talsi. Public buildings in Talsi and Pastende were also flooded.

At an emergency meeting of the Saeima State Administration and Local Government Committee on Thursday, deputies agreed not to declare a state of emergency in the municipality. Ainārs Mežulis, parliamentary secretary of the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM), explained that the Public Procurement Law allows road repair procurement to be conducted through a negotiation procedure, and VARAM is providing advisory support to the local government.

Funding Sources and Municipal Situation

Ansis Bērziņš, chairman of the Talsu municipality council, confirmed that the local budget has stabilized – the loan taken for crisis prevention earlier this summer has been repaid, and the municipality will be able to cover repair bills. The municipality must prepare and submit to VARAM a calculation of funds spent on damage repair, which the state will compensate over two years. The state will also reimburse benefits paid to residents; the Social Service has already started receiving applications for financial aid.

The committee urged the municipality to promptly identify necessary works and costs and to seek help from state institutions. The Ministry of Finance, VARAM, and the government will be asked to prioritize the evaluation of the municipality's compensation request.

Road Repair Work and Costs

State-owned company “Latvijas Valsts ceļi” (LVC) has already restored three gravel road sections, with a fourth expected to be completed on Thursday. In the coming weeks, a temporary culvert will be built on the Jūrmala–Talsi road. Gravel road repairs will cost approximately €50,000–70,000. On the Jūrmala–Talsi road, a culvert built in 1983 has tilted and cannot be repaired; a new one is needed, which will take 1.5 to 3 months to manufacture and cost €320,000–370,000. A temporary roadway next to the bridge, allowing single-lane traffic, could be built in about two weeks. LVC has no funds in its budget for these works, so the Ministry of Transport will ask the government to allocate money from the contingency fund.

Impact on Agriculture

Agriculture has also been affected. Kristaps Ieviņš, co-owner of SIA “Amatas,” said puddles formed on fields, some crops were knocked down, and near the Jūrmala–Talsi road, water washed away part of the grain. Water has now receded from the company's fields, but the total area of damage has not yet been calculated. The company has filed an insurance claim. The Rural Support Service (LAD) has so far received seven applications from farmers, but activity is not high – farmers may be waiting for fields to dry out to assess the damage more accurately.