Three more drownings over weekend in Latvia

Take note – story published 2 years ago

The State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) pulled three more drowned people from the water over the weekend of July 24-25.

On Sunday in Daugmale Parish, Kekava District, a body was recovered from the river, on Saturday in Balvi Parish, another was retreived from a pond, and on Friday in Riga, a dead person was lifted from a lake.

This year, during the bathing season, the VUGD has removed a total of 49 people from the water, while the total for the year so far stands at 76 bodies. As previously reported many times by LSM, Latvia leads Europe in drowning statistics.

Rescuers were also kept busy tackling numerous fires. The largest fire was extinguished in Aknīste Parish, Jēkabpils District, where a 20-hectare grain field burned.

On Sunday at 15.54 the VUGD received notification of a peat fire in Renda parish, Kuldiga disrict. Peat fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish and efforts to do so are continuing Monday involving the State Forest Service and a  National Armed Forces helicopter in addition to the VUGD. 

Speaking on the '900 seconds' news show on TV3, VUGD Deputy Chief Kristaps Eklons warned that forests remain extremely dry and therefore real caution should be exercised to prevent fires.

In the period from July 23 of this year at 06.30 to July 26 at At 06.30, the VUGD received 240 calls - 134 for firefighting, of which 14 were forest fires, 64 for rescue operations, and 42 calls were hoaxes. 

 

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