Latvia's 72 hours: what to store in case of a crisis
Latvia's Ministry of Defence booklet 'What to do in case of a crisis' helps households get through the first 72 hours until services are restored. Store about 3 litres of drinking water per adult per day (4 litres in hot weather), for at least 3 days and preferably a week, plus a separate supply for hygiene.
What this means for your household
Set your household size to see the days, water and food the Latvia advice adds up to.
Stock food, water and essentials for at least 3 to 7 days.
Drinking water for 2 people. Latvia sets no daily figure here, so this uses 3 L, the most common official number.
Person-days of food to cover (2 × 7). Pick food that needs no fridge and little or no cooking.
What the booklet asks you to store
From the 2024 edition of 'What to do in case of a crisis', in Latvian, English and Russian.
- Drinking water in plastic bottles: 3 L per adult per day, for at least 3 days and preferably a week
- A separate water supply for hygiene
- Food that keeps at room temperature for at least six months, needs little or no cooking and is high in calories
- A home medicine cabinet: pain relievers, anti-diarrhoea medicine, allergy medicine, disinfectant and bandages
- Water purification tablets, and knowledge of nearby wells or springs
- Cash, since shops, fuel stations and ATMs may close
How Latvia warns you
- Check your phone settings and make sure emergency alerts are switched on.
- Latvia uses cell broadcast alerts, including warnings about threats in Latvian airspace. Follow the instructions in the message.
- Follow official government channels. The booklet notes that television and radio will keep working.
Latvia-specific steps
- Prepare for power cuts, internet and mobile outages, and closed shops, fuel stations and ATMs, which the booklet names as likely disruptions.
- Pharmacies may close in a national emergency, so keep a home medicine cabinet stocked.
- Find out where natural water sources such as wells and springs are near you, and how to use purification tablets.
- Keep the booklet. It is available in Latvian, English and Russian from the Ministry of Defence.
Go beyond the minimum: what we recommend
Official lists cover the basics. These are the gaps we see most often when an emergency lasts longer than expected.
- Rotate a long supply: eat the oldest first and replace it, so a week or more of food and water stays in date.
- Keep paper and digital copies of IDs, insurance and prescriptions, so you can prove who you are and get medicines.
- Write the expiry date on everything and check the kit every 6 months, so it doesn't quietly go out of date.
- Plan for phone power: a charged power bank, plus a solar panel or car charger for longer outages.
- Save offline maps of your area and agree a meeting point, in case the mobile network is down.
- An offline survival guide on your phone: HAVEN tracks your kit and expiry dates and works with no signal.Download HAVEN free
Numbers to write down
- 112 · Emergency number
Keep a paper copy: your phone may be flat when you need it.
Your kit, ready when the network isn't
HAVEN tracks your 72-hour supplies and medicine cabinet with expiry reminders, and keeps offline guides on your phone if the internet and mobile network go down.
- Coverage in days for your household
- Expiry reminders
- Offline guides and AI
- Free to start, no account needed
How Latvia compares
Latvia: 3 to 7 days. Across the 25 governments we checked, most ask for 3 days, a growing group asks for a week, and Austria asks for the most, at 10 to 14 days. See every country's advice.
Latvia preparedness FAQ
How many days of supplies does Latvia recommend?
The booklet aims at the first 72 hours, and recommends water for at least 3 days and preferably a week.
How much water should I store in Latvia?
About 3 litres per adult per day, or 4 litres in hot weather, plus a separate supply for hygiene.
What food should I store?
Food that keeps at room temperature for at least six months, needs little or no cooking and is high in calories.
How will I be warned in Latvia?
Through cell broadcast alerts on your phone, as well as TV, radio and official government channels. Check that emergency alerts are switched on in your phone's settings.
Why keep cash at home?
The booklet warns that shops, fuel stations and ATMs may close during a crisis.
Official sources
- What to do in case of a crisis, 2024 (Ministry of Defence, PDF)
- Building resilience (Ministry of Defence)
- What to do upon receiving a cell broadcast notification about a threat in Latvian airspace
This page summarises official advice and is not a substitute for it. Always follow the instructions of your local emergency services. Last checked 2 November 2026.