Estonia, Lithuania to Raise Flags in Support of Latvia After Tragedy
As the search through the rubble continued after Latvia's deadliest tragedy since re-independence, the Estonian government said on Friday that flags will be flown with black ribbon at all public institutions on Sunday, November 24, in solidarity.
The government called others to join in and show support to the Latvian people by also flying mourning flags, reported uudised.err.ee.
The collpase of the roof at a Maxima supermarket in a district of Riga has left 54 dead, with over 10 still missing. Scores were injured, with close to 30 hospitalized. Efforts to retrieve victims, now in the third day, had to be suspended on Saturday evening after a third collapse, but no one was injured this time. Three rescuers died in the second cave-in soon after the initial collapse.
Latvia will be in official mourning from November 23-25. Lithuania will also fly flags on November 24.
Estonia's Rescue Service reached out to its Latvian colleagues, saying rescue vehicles would display black ribbons, as a number of Latvian rescuers were killed and injured in the tragedy.
The Rescue Service's director general, Kuno Tammearu, said: "With deep sadness we heard that Latvian firefighters also gave their lives in the terrible accident in Riga."