Storm-delayed Gacho and Mesa concert to go ahead in Riga

The concert by Mesa and Gacho, postponed to Sunday because of the storm, will take place at the Mežapark Great Stage, but visitors will be allowed to reach the venue only via specially designated routes, LSM reported, citing the municipality.

Many dangerous trees remain in Mežapark park and are being cordoned off by employees of the municipal company Rīgas meži. Security staff will also regulate visitor flows. Organisers have urged concertgoers to respect the barriers and use only the permitted routes.

Workers are continuing to repair storm-damaged overhead contact lines for tram route 11. If the repairs are completed before the event, the tram will operate, including the planned additional services.

Riga Deputy Mayor Edvards Ratnieks of the National Alliance said on Latvian Television that Rīgas meži staff had inspected the area in the morning. They found no major damage in the Great Stage grounds, while fallen trees were located outside the venue.

The storm that hit Latvia overnight on August 23 was the country’s strongest summer storm since at least 1966, according to the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre. One person died when a building under construction collapsed in Jelgava, while several others were injured by falling trees and branches. Two firefighter rescuers were also injured during rescue operations.

At the peak of the storm, electricity supplies were disrupted for about 280,000 customers. Traffic lights stopped working in many places, while shops and petrol stations were closed and mobile communications were disrupted.