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 Shelters had to be set up to aid more than 60 people who had to be taken from their homes because of the floods. - National Emergency Commission photo - |
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Published on Monday, August 23, 2021
The National Emergency Commission alerted about an increase in rains due to the passage of Tropical Wave #26 of the green season. According to specialists, this natural phenomenon began crossing the country Friday night and its effects continued over the national territory on Saturday.  Specialists are observing Tropical Waves #27 and #28, as of Sunday were located near the eastern border between Colombia and Venezuela. They are advancing their way to Panama and the Caribbean Sea, which could be hitting Costa Rica in the middle of the week. The intensity of the rains is increasing due to the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone that is located near the country's Pacific Coast. The Intertropical Convergence Zone, known by sailors as the doldrums or the calms due to the dull windless weather, is the area where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge. The zone appears as a band of clouds, usually thunderstorms, that circles the globe near the Equator. This caused the overflowing of rivers and floods mainly in the mountainous areas of the country.  This weekend, a Green Alert was set for the Caribbean Coast (Limón Province). This alert is given when it is anticipated that a meteorological phenomenon endangers a specific area in the country. Yellow Alert status continues in place for the rest of the country. This alert prepares rescue forces for an increased danger of a natural phenomenon that may impact the population in a specific region. According to the commission authorities, the most abundant rains registered on Saturday caused flooding in residential areas. The excess rains overflowed rivers and obstructed roads due to landslides in more than 20 cantons in the country. Shelters had to be set up to aid more than 60 people who had to be taken from their homes because of the floods. Among the most affected areas are Desamparados Canton, Carpio District and Moravia San José Province. And people from El Guarco and Orosi in Cartago Province were also moved to shelters because of the flooding in their homes. According to the weather report from the Meteorological Institute, the early morning heat and humidity have been causing the evaporation process. This process usually results in a rainy afternoon and night. Downpours with thunderstorms are forecasted in the mountainous zones of the Pacific Coast, the Central Valley (San José, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago), as well as the North Zone of the country. The maximum accumulated rains could reach between 40 and 100 millimeters over the central mountain ranges. While in the lower parts of the North Pacific Coast and the North Zone, the estimated amounts of rainfall will be between 25 and 50 millimeters. Specialists warn that in the mountains of the North Zone and the west of the Central Valley there is a high accumulation of water in the soil due to the abundant weekend rains. Attention is recommended in Turrialba Canton in Cartago Province, which is already in danger after the heavy July rains. Authorities call on the public to take the following precautionary measures to avoid emergencies: - Avoid tourist or sports activities in rivers (located in Emergency zones) such as swimming, diving, rafting, canyoning, river bugging, kayaking, cliff jumping, fishing, sailing, among others. - Stay informed about the alerts issued by the authorities. - People living in mountain areas should increase precautionary measures against a possible landslide or material falling from the high areas of the hills. - Have an emergency evacuation plan in the community, work and home. - Drivers must increase precautions for heavy rain and fog. - Take precautionary measures in case of electrical storms. - Be alert in vulnerable areas to flooding due to sewer saturation or an increase of river flow. - In case of a thunderstorm, take refuge in a safe place. - In case of strong gusts of wind, be alert to possible falling tree branches or electrical cables. - In the event of a landslide, do not walk on the debris, stay away from affected areas, and do not return home until authorities verify that it is a safe place. Call 911 to report any possible flooding, fallen trees or landslides. A.M. Costa Rica urges readers to share this alert with their contacts. ------------- What emergencies have been reported in your community caused by the rains? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com             
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