Residents of the Latvian capital, Riga, are being called upon to clean their basements to make room for civil defense shelters, in response to the city's civil defense preparations.
The Riga City Council has announced a cleanup initiative set for April 27, during which they will organize efforts to clean basements in several municipal buildings. This initiative, part of the Great Cleanup, also urges citizens to prepare their own basements for potential use as shelters.
Municipal Cleanup Initiatives
The cleanup event will focus on various locations throughout the city, including the basement of Riga Secondary School No. 49 on Krišjāņa Valdemāra Street.
A press conference is scheduled to take place at the school’s sports complex, attended by notable figures such as the Mayor of Riga, Vilnis Kirsis, and other department heads.
This event will also offer a chance for the public to see how a basement can be transformed into a compliant shelter, with local government representatives providing guidance on the necessary adaptations.
Further cleanup activities are planned at the municipal building adjacent to the Riedze Basic School and the Mezciems social assistance center. These efforts are aimed at demonstrating practical applications of basement spaces in meeting civil defense requirements.
The Riga City Council has issued guidelines urging residents to remove debris, hazardous substances, and any objects with sharp edges that could pose a risk in emergency situations.
