  One of the most massive landslides happened in the Valladolid community in Desamparados Canton, San José Province. - National Emergency Commission photo - |
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 Published
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Hurricane Eta causes floods,
landslides and people in shelters By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The National Emergency Commission reported on Tuesday the relocation of people in shelters, in addition to attending several emergencies caused by Hurricane Eta over Nicaragua. According to the commission, at least 26 people were relocated in three shelters that were installed, two in Parrita Canton and one more in Corredores Canton, both in Puntarenas Province. These people were evacuated from their homes because of the floods. In addition, at least 20 roads affected by river flooding and landslides were reported. The rivers reported for large overflow were, San Juan and Colorado in the northern zone of Alajuela Province, Ora, Millal and Bongo in Guanacaste Province, Barranca in Puntarenas Province, and Corredores, Abrojo and Baru in the southern zone of Puntarenas Province. One of the most massive landslides happened in the Valladolid community in Desamparados Canton, San José Province. Commission officials and emergency forces remained in the Valladolid area where a massive landslide occurred on Monday that caused huge cracks in the road and damage to houses.  Fortunately, given that large landslides had already been registered in the same area since October, the commission had declared the area as uninhabitable by the high-risk of more landslides. Approximately 34 families had already been evicted. The Valladolid massive landslide hit in 2017 after the passage of Tropical Storm Nate, the commission said. According to the Meteorological Institute, due to the entry of Hurricane Eta into Nicaragua with category 4, high levels of rain were registered in the country, mainly on the Pacific Coast. In Costa Rica, the natural phenomenon had a point close to the country approximately 424 km north of Limón Province. Eta is traveling at 6 km / h towards the west. The indirect influence of the hurricane has caused rains since Monday early morning mainly along the Pacific Coast. The maximum accumulated rainfall was recorded in the cantons of Hojancha and Santa Cruz, in Guanacaste Province with levels between 97 and 100 millimeters. According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, Eta will continue its movement over Nicaragua, losing intensity when entering Honduras on Wednesday morning. It is forecasted that today Eta is going to slow down the winds to become a tropical depression. However, it will continue to cause increased rainfall in Costa Rica throughout Wednesday.  On Tuesday authorities established a Yellow Alert in most of the country, such as northern zone of Alajuela Province, southern Pacific Coast and the Central Valley (includes cities surrounding San José such as Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago). The alert status serves as an announcement for the rescue forces to prepare for an increased danger of a natural phenomenon that will affect the population in a specific region. The Green Alert was established on the Caribbean Coast (Limón Province). This 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. Orange Alert status for northern zone of Pacific Coast ( Guanacaste Province) and Central Pacific Coast ( central zone of Puntarenas Province). This alert is established when high-risk situation can cause an emergency to the people in a specific area. According to specialists, heavy rains and thunderstorms are expected to continue for at least a week due to the Intertropical Convergence Zone that is located throughout Costa Rica. 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 circle the globe near the equator. Due to the high risk of continuous rains, specialists stress the following to avoid accidents, damage to structures and emergencies during the green season: • Keep the roof of your house clean. • Clear a path in the backyard allowing rainwater to move without problems toward the drainage, which helps to avoid 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 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 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 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 to call 911 to report any possible flooding, fallen trees or landslides in the country. A.M. Costa Rica urges readers to share this alert with their contacts. -------------------------- What emergencies have you heard of due to the thunderstorms in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com  |
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