Exhibition hall at former USSR submarine base collapses into sea
Part of the pier at Hara Port collapsed on Sunday morning, causing the port's exhibition hall to collapse into the sea, Hara Harbor announced.
The present day Hara Port stands on the site of a former Soviet submarine base which was closed to the public during the USSR.
In recent years a small museum was created on the pier in one of the old buildings explaining the history and significance of the area. Tourist facilities such as a ticket office, restaurant and glamping site have also been opened at the site in Lahemaa National Park.
According to Hara Port, cracks appeared Friday evening in the exhibition hall that stood on the pier, indicating a potential risk of collapse. The space was closed to visitors, and the exhibition housed inside was successfully evacuated from the building.
Currently, the Rescue Board has partially closed off the pier to visitors.
"At the beginning of [next] week, we'll get experts involved and proceed according to the results of their assessment," the port said. "We'll be reopening the Juminda mine battle exhibition on a new premises as soon as possible."
The harbor area is still open, as are the restaurant and accommodations located there.
"A lot of people who live along Hara Bay have been closely tied to this exhibition, contributing significantly to its creation," said Tarvi Velström. "Historically, it's always been the case that part of coastal people's lives end up in the sea."
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Editor: Marko Tooming, Aili Vahtla, Helen Wright