Storm cleanup continues across Latvia two weeks later

Two weeks after the storm, crews across Latvia are still removing fallen and dangerous trees, LSM reported. Many areas remain unsafe, and residents have been urged to avoid cordoned-off locations.

Riga’s municipal authorities have asked people to avoid visiting cemeteries unless necessary and to remain cautious in parks. The Nature Conservation Agency has also urged visitors to check which sections of nature trails remain closed.

In Riga, work is continuing to clear streets, parks, cemeteries, residential courtyards and forest areas of trees brought down or damaged by Storm Priska.

The greatest damage in parks and gardens was reported at Mežaparks, Tekstilnieku Park, Pļavnieku Park, Lucavsala and Lielie kapi cemetery.

Most of the most dangerous situations in Riga’s parks have been addressed, but Ieva Geistere, a representative of Rīgas meži, said the cleanup would take several more weeks.

“The priority was to clean up the entire centre, which we have largely done. The most dangerous places at the moment are Lielie kapi, Ozolaine and the Ķengarags promenade,” Geistere said.

She said crews were continuing to assess damage in those areas and were still finding trees with exposed roots and broken branches hanging from them.

Geistere urged residents to avoid areas marked with barrier tape, warning that it was impossible to predict when a branch might fall and that all locations could not be cleaned at the same time.

Compared with the 2024 storm, Riga’s gardens and parks now have at least one-third more broken trees, she said.

In Riga’s urban areas, poplars, maples and birches were among the most fragile trees, while pines were heavily damaged in Mežaparks and coastal areas.

In the forests of Riga and the surrounding area, the greatest damage was recorded in the coastal, Ogre, Tīreļi and Daugmale areas. Crews are still clearing forest roads there.

Up to 15,000 cubic metres of timber were damaged in Riga’s forests. Fallen trees collected in the city are mostly chipped. Some of the material is used to mulch gardens and parks, while some is sold at auction.