Storm in Riga leaves hundreds of trees broken, roofs ripped off buildings, fences and installations damaged

  • 2024-07-29
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - The severe storm that lashed central parts of Latvia last night, left hundreds of trees broken, roofs ripped off buildings, fences and outdoor installations damaged in Riga, the capital city's press office informed LETA. 

The cyclone damaged motor vehicles, traffic lights and trolleybus cables, as well as flooded basements, backyards and streets. 

Public transport was cancelled or running late on Monday because of the broken trees and huge puddles, while thousands of households were hit by blackouts, authorities said.

Response teams from the State Fire and Rescue Service, municipal and private enterprises were working hard to clean up the storm damage on Monday.

By Monday noon, the cyclone had dumped 115 mm, or 11 liters per square meter, of precipitation on the capital city, which is over two times more than the previous record, or 1.5 of July's monthly norm. 

Strong wind gusts, exceeding 20 meters per second, were still reported also on Monday. Weather forecasts suggest that the rain and wind will continue until the evening, which is why the Riga local government has advised residents to take care of their safety and stay home.

By Monday noon, emergency services had received over 350 calls about storm damage in Riga. The local government had received nearly 300 reports on broken trees, flooded streets, backyards and basements, open sewer hatches and damaged roofs.

In two locations, heavy precipitation had flooded basement apartments. Tenants were led to safety from the flooded apartments and offered temporary lodging. There were also reports of automobiles damaged by fallen trees. 

In Jugla neighborhood, several thousand households and enterprises were left without electricity, and the storm had disrupted the operation of a drinking-water pumphouse.

The storm damaged many municipal buildings, for example the roof of the Riga State German Gymnasium was damaged by a fallen tree. The roof of the Stella Maris nursing home was also damaged, while the basement of the Mezciems nursing home was flooded.

The stormy winds damaged art installation "Riga Summer" on Uzvaras Boulevard and the roofing of Riga Cathedral, causing a dangerous situation, as there was a risk of a part of the cathedral's roofing coming off.

In many places, falling trees damaged the fences of educational institutions. The damage survey is ongoing and the services are working to reduce the danger.