Riga, Feb 27 (LETA) - The Riga City Council civil protection commission was convened today to assess the readiness for high water levels and possible spring floods, the Riga City Council external communications department informed LETA.

"This winter has brought us a very large amount of snow and ice, which means an increased risk of flooding in areas of Riga that are traditionally flood-prone," said Riga Mayor Viesturs Kleinbergs (Progressives).

If there is a rapid thaw and rain, this risk will increase significantly. The city has four speedboats, motorboats, water pumping machines, high-pressure pumps and other equipment at its disposal.

The mayor explained that resources have been identified, population density mapped and it is known exactly where and how many people might need help.

"At the same time, we are ready to support the neighboring municipalities if necessary, and we are in close contact with all the responsible services so that we can act immediately in the event of an emergency," said the mayor.

The civil protection commission analyzed the current meteorological forecast, carried out a flood risk assessment and discussed the operational preparedness of the services and institutions involved. In addition to the flood risk, the state of critical infrastructure and the availability of resources were assessed.

The situation in areas at increased risk of flooding and the provision of preventive measures in these areas were assessed separately, as well as possible assistance to other municipalities in the event of flooding.

The municipality invites citizens to stay up-to-date with the information available on the official website of the municipality, as well as with the public announcements of the responsible services.