Latvians clean up country in annual campaign

Braving rain and gusty winds, people across Latvia took part in the annual Big Cleanup campaign on Saturday to tidy up around 2,000 officially designated territories, as well as their private backyards and gardens, organizers of the event said.

For the first time, the Big Cleanup was also joined by Latvians residing in other European countries.

Like in previous years, Latvia's top state officials, including President Raimonds Vejonis and Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis, were among participants of the Big Cleanup.

Each year, people participating in cleanup works report some curious finds, and this year's biggest surprise was a turtle, which was found in a ditch of Riga. After the brief encounter with humans, the reptile swam away.

Although officially the Big Cleanup ended at 3 p.m. many participants did not go home but joined post-cleanup activities, having meals together and attending entertainment events.

Preliminary information on the event's official website talkas.lv suggests that the changeable weather did not deter people from leaving their homes and taking part in the cleanup.

Organizers also reported that during the first four hours of the Big Cleanup people in Riga collected 45 tonnes of trash. The total amount of trash collected and removed in Riga and all Latvia will be announced in a couple of weeks' time, the organizers said. Endit