Storm aftermath in Melluži: flooded yards, fallen trees, a split roof

A week after Latvia was hit by one of the most destructive storms of 2024, residents of Melluži are still coping with the aftermath. A visit to this seaside community, part of Jūrmala, shows that few households escaped unscathed.

In many places, people are still dealing with flooding — yards and properties affected by heavy rain and seawater pushed inland by the wind. Elsewhere, residents face a more physically demanding task: clearing trees that were toppled by the storm from their land and access roads.

An oak splits a roof

A particularly dramatic scene can be seen at a house on Dārzu Street, where a massive oak tree, uprooted by the gusts, literally split the building's roof in two. The damage illustrates just how powerful the wind was when it tore through Latvia's coast a week earlier, and how severe the consequences can be when a tree falls directly onto an inhabited home.

While material losses at several properties are considerable, the residents of the damaged house managed to preserve what truly matters, despite the severe damage to the building itself.

The destruction seen in Melluži mirrors a broader pattern observed across several coastal communities in Latvia following the storm, where strong winds and heavy rain left lasting marks on both homes and the surrounding environment. A week on, residents are still cleaning up their properties and assessing the extent of the damage.