Talsi Municipality Considers Declaring State of Emergency Due to Flood Damage

The Talsi Municipality is considering requesting the government to declare a state of emergency due to significant damage caused by recent heavy rainfall. According to Ansis Bērziņš, chairman of the municipal council, a state of emergency would allow the municipality to carry out road repairs more quickly, bypassing lengthy procurement procedures.

The municipality is preparing a submission to the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development to seek compensation from contingency funds. Meanwhile, officials continue to assess and monitor affected sites. The situation is particularly critical near the Dursupe river downstream, close to Lake Engure, where water levels remain high.

On Monday, July 20, rainfall in Talsi region reached 74 mm, nearly the monthly norm. The downpour caused the breach of the Dursupe mill pond dam, flooding surrounding areas and washing out several roads, including the regional road Jūrmala–Talsi. Public buildings in Talsi and Pastende were also flooded. On the night before Wednesday, one person and a dog were evacuated from Ķūļciems parish.

The municipality will prepare damage estimates and a list of priority works for the extraordinary meeting of the Saeima’s State Administration and Local Government Commission, scheduled for Thursday, July 23. Bērziņš predicts that the extent of damage may grow in the coming days.

Today, two municipal road sections in Valdgale parish—Gambija–Poļi–Mežmuiža and Ozoli–Kukuri—have been closed. In the Lauciene administrative division (comprising Lauciene, Mērsrags, Balgale and Ķūļciems parishes), at least 20 road sections have been damaged, with repairs estimated at around €200,000, according to division head Juris Kronbergs.

The commission chair Oļegs Burovs has called an emergency meeting at 1:30 PM on July 23, with representatives from the Ministry of Transport, VARAM, the Ministry of Finance, Latvijas valsts ceļi, the Latvian Association of Local Governments, and Talsi municipality leadership.