Storm significantly disrupted Latvia's border guard operations, agency head admits
A powerful storm over the weekend left several border-area municipalities without electricity and communications, also affecting the State Border Guard's work. Operations at the Terehova border crossing point stopped for several hours after databases went down and border checks could not be carried out.
A severe storm that swept across Latvia over the weekend caused widespread power and communication outages in several municipalities near the border, raising concerns about how securely the state border can be protected during such a crisis, given how heavily its monitoring relies on electronic technology.
Speaking on the show "Spried ar Delfi," State Border Guard chief General Guntis Pujāts acknowledged that the storm had a fairly significant impact on the agency's operations. He said the Terehova border crossing point was forced to halt work for several hours because the necessary databases were not functioning, making it impossible to carry out border checks.
Damaged infrastructure
Pujāts also noted that the storm damaged border infrastructure in multiple locations. No further details on the extent of the damage or repair progress were given during the broadcast.
