In Latvia, floods can occur as a result of prolonged rainfall, snowmelt or ice jams, when water levels rise rapidly and flood the surrounding areas.
Remember! Preparation means less stress and fewer risks!
What to do when there is a threat of flooding?
- Contact your local municipality and find out whether your family home is located in a flood-prone area. Information about flood-prone areas can be found on the website of the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre www.meteo.lv under the section "Flood risk information" ("Plūdu riska informācija").
- If you are in an area threatened by flooding, take care of elderly people, children, disabled people and sick people in good time by finding them a safer place to stay with relatives or friends. If necessary, ask your local authority for help.
- Identify a place where livestock and pets can be evacuated if necessary, and how to provide them with food. If this is not possible, seek help from your local authority in good time.
- Follow the information in the media. Listen to weather warnings and monitor developments in the vicinity of your home, inform your neighbors.
- Find out and save the telephone numbers of local authorities and emergency services on your mobile phone and in your notebook so that you can report the onset of flooding and receive assistance.
- Prepare the things you will take with you when evacuating, because your home could be flooded in a short period of time. Assess which items you will need at the evacuation site. It is recommended that you prepare an emergency bag to take with you. Take into account! The bag should be as heavy as you can carry yourself. The bare minimum you should take with you when evacuating is money, documents, and communication devices.
- Prepare vehicles to be used for evacuation, such as cars, tractors, etc., and watercraft such as boats, rafts, etc.
- To reduce material losses caused by flooding, move belongings from basements and ground floors to upper floors or attics, secure objects in the yard and near the house.
- When leaving your home and farm buildings, turn off the electricity and gas supply, local heating devices and equipment, close windows, doors, hatches and shutters.
- In case of evacuation, notify your relatives.
What to do if flooding occurs unexpectedly?
- If your immediate surroundings and home are rapidly flooding, stay calm and act quickly. Know that, if necessary, emergency services will rush to help you!
- If it does not endanger your life and health, and you have a suitable vehicle, then evacuate!
- If evacuation is not possible, move to the upper floors of the building or the roof.
- If your health or life is in danger, call the State Fire and Rescue Service by the phone number 112.
- If the flood starts at night, use a light signal to signal your location to rescuers.
Take into account!
- To ensure a safe evacuation, be careful when using a watercraft (e.g., a boat) or land vehicle. Be aware that there may be obstacles in the water and that roads may be washed out or collapsed.
- If, upon receiving an evacuation order, you refuse to evacuate, you will have to confirm your refusal in writing, thereby assuming responsibility for any possible consequences. Evacuation refusal form (in Latvian language).
- In the event of an emergency being declared, compulsory evacuation may be enforced.