Storm damage mounts across Latvia as trees fall on homes and cars
Latvia's emergency number 112 recorded a sharp rise in storm-related calls on Saturday, reaching 480 by 8 p.m., with Latgale hit hardest. Fire and rescue services have added extra crews and urged residents to stay cautious.
Emergency calls to Latvia's unified helpline 112 surged on Saturday evening as strong winds battered the country, according to State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) spokesperson Viktorija Gribuste. By 8 p.m., 480 storm-related calls had been logged.
Latgale bears the brunt
The Latgale region accounted for the largest share, with 265 calls, including more than a hundred from Daugavpils and additional reports from the Augšdaugava, Preiļi and Krāslava municipalities. Kurzeme followed with 101 calls, Zemgale with 80, and Vidzeme with 20. Riga and its surroundings saw far fewer incidents, with just a handful of calls reported.
Most damage involved wind-toppled trees, which fell onto roads, buildings and vehicles. In Jēkabpils, a tree crashed onto a car, while in Viesīte a broken tree damaged two vehicles in an apartment courtyard. In Daugavpils, wind tore roof structures off a building and a tree fell onto a residential house. In Liepāja, a tree fell on two passenger cars.
Reinforcements and satellite monitoring
To cope with the rapidly growing number of calls in and around Daugavpils, VUGD brought in additional firefighter-rescuer crews. Some calls are being handled by municipalities, volunteer firefighters and the power grid operator instead. The service has also assessed its available personnel and equipment so it can respond quickly if needed.
To support monitoring and recovery efforts, authorities activated the European Union's Copernicus satellite mapping service, which provides mapping support to help coordinate the response in affected areas.
Given red- and orange-level warnings for intense rainfall and an orange-level warning for very strong wind, VUGD twice activated its cell broadcast system on Saturday to alert residents in threatened areas. The service is urging people to reconsider evening plans, cancel outdoor events, secure or remove loose items from balconies and yards, stay indoors, keep phones charged, and follow official updates.
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