Storm in Jurmala kills one, fells trees and damages buildings

The strong wind that was present in Latvia on Monday, 17 January, reached the strength of a storm in many parts of the country, felling trees, breaking off branches, tearing roofs and facades of buildings.
The storm broke off a tree branch, which fell and caused a lethal injury to a woman in Jurmala.
By 21:30 on Monday rescue services received more than 300 calls, detailing situations involving broken off tree branches and ripped roof structures, as reported by the State Fire and Rescue Service.
In most situations rescuers had to remove fallen tree branches from roads and pedestrian walk ways. In most cases tree branches fell on parked cars. In several other cases rescuers received calls about ripped roof structures.
One such accident had a lethal outcome – a tree fell on a 1949-born woman in Jurmala. She died from the injuries later, as confirmed by Latvian State Police and Emergency Medical Service.
Most of the calls reporting damages from the storm were received in Riga and Jurmala.
According to photos published by residents on social media, a balcony of an apartment house in Riga near Slavu Bridge had a peace of concrete ripped out by the storm, leaving it hanging on a metal armature rod.
According to eye witness accounts, the market located on the intersection of Dzelzavas and Stirnu streets was damaged in the storm as well. A peace of roof from the market was ripped off and blown on to nearby road.
Additionally, the wind pulled down one of the big trees near the channel running opposite to Riga railway station. In Old Riga a fragment of a roof was blown onto Kaļķu street.
The storm caused damages to facades of buildings around Latvia. In Ādaži, for instance, the wind tore off the entire roof of some apartment building.
On Monday afternoon power supply was disrupted for about 20 000 JCS Sadales tīkls clients across Latvia, according to the company’s entry on Twitter.
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre had previously upgraded the warning level in Riga and Jurlama from orange to red.