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  A Green
Alert is given when it is anticipated that a
meteorological phenomenon endangers a specific
area in the country.
/ National Emergency Commission courtesy photo. |
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Published Wednesday, July 29, 2020 Declared Green Alert due to
new tropical wave By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Heavy rains and electrical storms in the Caribbean Coast (Limón Province) due to the passage of the twenty-third tropical wave this year and the proximity of the Convergence Zone Intertropical, classified that region in Green Alert by the National Emergency Commission. 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. A Green Alert is given when it is anticipated that a meteorological phenomenon endangers a specific area in the country. The authorities activate the community's emergency commissions to take action due to the danger related to the level of alert. The rest of the country remains in Yellow Alert which is a step above Green Alert during this rainy season, according to the National Emergency Commission. For example, the Central Valley, the Pacific Coast and some sectors of the North Zone have had an increase in electrical storms and the accumulating rainfall in the soils increasing the risk of landslides. The Yellow Alert signifies for rescue forces to prepare for an increased danger of a natural phenomenon that will affect the population in a specific region. In the event of a Yellow Alert, the emergency committees of each community must prepare prevention protocols. Citizens must take precautions in their homes, places of study or work. Also, people must be attentive to the communication alerts that the National Emergency Commission provides. Rescuers must be prepared for the search or rescue of people and respond to emergency calls. According to the Meteorological Institute, the proximity of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, the warm morning temperatures and the passage of Tropical Wave #23 have been causing the rainy conditions along the Caribbean Coast and Northern Zone. "The amounts of rain (in those areas) that have been recorded are between 15-30 mm in 3 hours," the Institute said in its statement. According to the weather forecast, the heavy rains will extend to the first hours of the night in the Pacific Coast, as well as in the North Zone with amounts between 10 to 30 mm. In the Central Valley and mountains of the Caribbean Coast, light rains are expected to accumulate between 5 to15 mm. Considerable soil water saturation is maintained in sectors of the North and South Pacific, as well as in the North Zone; therefore, special attention is requested due to the high possibility of landslides. Regarding the Gonzalo tropical wave, the U.S. National Hurricane Center announced that it has degraded further since the last advisory. Late-arriving data showed a well-defined tropical wave with winds around 30 kt, but no clear evidence of a closed circulation. It was reported max winds of 28 kt with a gust to 40 kt. Given the additional degradation of Gonzalo's appearance since it moved away from the islands of Barlovento, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, it appears that the system has opened into a wave and dissipated. Tropical squalls associated with the remnants of Gonzalo will continue to move westward for the next day or so and could bring gusty winds and heavy rain to portions of the southeastern Caribbean, said the Hurricane Center. In order to avoid damages to structures and emergencies, experts recommend to: • Keep the roofs of your houses clean. • Clearing a path in the backyard allows rainwater to move without problems towards the drainage, which helps in avoiding damages and leaks in the house. • Pick up the garbage so that it does not fall on the pipes or drains on the sidewalks. • Avoid that solvents, oils, acids or corrosive liquids that can fall into the sewer pipes and deteriorate them. • Organize the cleaning of public areas such as river banks in your community to avoid flooding. • Report the lack of concrete caps or grids in the pipes to the Aqueduct Institute by calling 2547-6555. Authorities call on the public to take the following precautionary measures: • 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 evacuation emergency 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 increase of river flow. • In case of a thunderstorm, take refuge in a safe place. • In case of strong wind gusts, 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. Authorities ask for the people in Costa Rica to 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 you heard of due to the rainy season thunderstorms in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
