On 21 September 2004, Latvia was shaken by an earthquake that had begun in the Kaliningrad region and travelled across borders as far as Scandinavia. Valērijs Ņikuļins, the chief seismologist of the State Geological Survey, later explained that in Latvia the tremors reached at least four points on the MSK 64 scale: they were felt especially in Jūrmala and Liepāja, where residents of apartment blocks left their homes and pupils were evacuated from several schools. There was little damage, but the clatter of dishes was a reminder that even seemingly quiet ground can move.

Latvia is not usually regarded as a seismically active country, so the 2004 tremor became an unexpected test for civil protection and building standards. After it, officials and seismologists discussed the need for a network of observation stations near Riga, Valmiera, Liepāja, Ventspils, and Daugavpils.