Standing on thin ice can be more than a metaphor in Latvia

The Municipality of Daugavpils has banned outings on ice-covered water bodies for now

Here comes a piece of news that will sound painfully familiar and useful to the inhabitants of some parts of Europe and a completely exotic curiosity to all the rest. On 9 December, the Latvian Municipality of Daugavpils issued a warning to its residents not to venture out on the ice sheet covering natural water bodies, such as rivers and lakes, because the reports are that this early in the winter it is still too thin and there is a real risk of falling through it. Those who breach the rules (and also find themselves in risk of breaching the ice) will have to pay a fine of up to 100 euros.

Ice surfaces are a common recreational spot in the north of Europe

Although to many venturing on open ice might seem like a strange idea, the fact is that in the northern parts of the continent, such as the Baltics and Scandinavia, the ice gets so thick in winter that people can skate or play hockey there, or go for a bit of contemplative ice fishing.

That is why local authorities observe the ice thickness every winter. They warn that ice is more fragile on rivers and usually urge residents who decide to venture into these areas to not go alone and to carry a phone with them.

However, for the time being in Daugavpils, ice angling and similar activities are prohibited until the situation is deemed safer. The municipal police are in charge of watching out for infractions. Two years ago, for example during a similar ban, 90 violations were recorded.

Additionally, every year rescue services are called in to help people who have fallen through the ice cover, and even this winter there was one such case on 8 December.