Storm brings flooding and power outages to Latvia, though some residents doubt warnings were justified
A powerful storm hit Latvia on Saturday, August 22, flooding streets in Riga and disrupting electricity supply in Kurzeme, though some people on social media criticized the warnings as exaggerated.
Severe weather struck Latvia on Saturday, bringing strong wind and heavy rain to several regions. Streets in Riga were flooded, and fallen trees, downed by the wind, were left along roadsides. Meteorologists had warned of dangerous conditions for several days in advance, briefly issuing a red-level warning for central Latvia and sending cell broadcast alerts to residents.
Not everyone views the situation the same way. On social media, some users expressed frustration, arguing that the threat had been overstated and that actual wind speeds did not justify such serious alarm. Discussions also raised questions about why autumn-typical weather was being presented as a nationwide threat, along with confusion over who would be held accountable if the forecast storm turned out weaker than predicted.
Other commenters pushed back against this criticism, emphasizing that precise weather forecasting is impossible and that public safety takes priority over the risk of slight exaggeration. Some residents defended decisions to cancel or postpone events due to the expected weather.
Power supply disruptions
Around 5 p.m. on Saturday, electricity supply was disrupted for approximately 2,300 customers of grid operator AS "Sadales tīkls," mainly in the Kurzeme region. The damage was caused by wind-broken poles and trees falling onto overhead power lines. The company said the overall situation was calm at the time, but the number of faults could rise in the evening and overnight as wind gusts intensify.
More than 250 workers, including over 100 field crews, are on standby nationwide to address faults. "Sadales tīkls" is urging residents to stay away from power lines with fallen trees or branches or visibly torn wires, as well as flooded substations. In case of rapidly rising water levels near homes, people are advised to switch off electricity in advance. Dangerous situations should be reported to the company's free hotline or to the State Fire and Rescue Service.
