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Monday, June 15, 2020 due to entry of new Tropical Wave By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Due to the arrival of the new Tropical Wave #6 today, the green alert was established throughout the country, announced the National Emergency Commission. The decision was made after the passage of the Tropical Wave #5 which recently ravaged the country over the weekend. 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 alert. The Commission calls on the population to stay informed with alerts and by paying attention to the effects of the rains. According to the Meteorological Institute, the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone continues to straddle over the country since Sunday as Tropical Wave #6 is expected today. The Inter-tropical 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. Due to that, the Meteorological Institute forecasts an increase in thunderstorms during the afternoon and early evening. Specialists expect thunderstorms with levels between 20-45 millimeters of rain during the afternoons in the Pacific Coast and Northern Zone. In the Caribbean Coast and the Central Valley, thunderstorms are expected with levels between 10-35 millimeters. The previous storms from Tropical Wave #5 caused floods emergencies in at least 7 communities, the Commission reported. The main emergencies happened in the cantons of Alajuelita, Desamparados and Aserrí, in San José Province. Despite the emergencies, it was not necessary to relocate people to municipal shelters, said the Commission. The emergency specialists released a series of advice to avoid accidents, due to the expected increase of thunderstorms: • Keep the roof of your house clean. • Clearing a path in the backyard allows rainwater to move without problems toward the drainage, which helps in avoiding damages and leakages 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 fall into the sewer pipes as they can 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. • Stay informed by 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 asked the public 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. ------------------------ Have you heard of emergencies due to the thunderstorms in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
