Latvian rescue service logs nearly 2,400 storm-wind calls in one weekend

Latvia's State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) received 2,395 calls to the unified emergency number 112 between Saturday midday and Sunday 11:00, all related to damage caused by strong winds, VUGD press representative Viktorija Gribuste told the LETA news agency.

The figure is roughly 800 calls higher than during a five-day period in July and August 2024, when the service was dealing with the aftermath of heavy rains and a storm.

Gribuste noted that the current number of calls points to a substantial scale of wind-related damage compared with last year's episode, even though the current timeframe is considerably shorter — just over a day, versus five days in 2024.

Strain on the service

The high volume of calls in such a short period indicates significant pressure on VUGD's resources as crews respond to wind damage across the country. The source material does not provide further detail on the nature of the damage or which areas were most affected.