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The closure of Route No.
32, between San José and
the Caribbean Coast due to
a collapse of debris on
the asphalt and the danger
that this can lead for
drivers. / National Road
Council courtesy photo.
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Route
32 between San José and
Caribbean Coast
will remain closed until
Wednesday morning
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The National Road Council, known
as CONAVI, confirmed the closure
of Route No. 32, between San José*
and the Caribbean
Coast* due to a collapse
of debris on the asphalt and the
danger that this can lead for
drivers.
According to CONAVI's report,
since Monday night work is being
done to clean up debris, but
during the early hours of
Tuesday morning, more stones and
mud fell back on the road. For
that reason, the road continues
closed until the Wednesday
morning, when officials will
authorize the opening of the
route.
According to traffic officers,
drivers can travel on either of
the two optional routes. The
first is on Route No. 10 between
San José*
and Turrialba*.
The second option is Route No.
126 between San José*
and Vara Blanca*.
This last option is only for
light cars since the road
conditions do not allow the
passage of trucks.
The National Meteorological
Institute reported that the
influence of the Intertropical
Convergence Zone continues,
causing more rainfall mainly in
the areas of the Pacific Coast,
the Central Valley, and the
Atlantic Coast. Rain is a big
contributor to landslides.
"The proximity of the
Intertropical Convergence Zone
generates atmospheric
instability on both coasts in
the country; therefore, moderate
to heavy rainfall is expected,"
said the meteorology institute
in its report.
According to the forecast,
between 30 to 60 millimeters of
rain as expected on the Pacific
coast over the 24 hours starting
Tuesday night.
In the Central Valley, a
thunderstorm is forecast with 15
to 30 millimeters of rain
And in the regions of the
Caribbean coast and northern
zone, more thunderstorms are
forecast in the early hours of
the night, with amounts between
20 to 40 millimeters of rain.
As A.M. Costa Rica has
published, the National
Commission of Emergencies has
declared a green alert for the
whole country due to the
presence of the convergence zone
over the country. The zone,
known by sailors as the doldrums
or the calms because of its
monotonous, windless weather, is
the area where the northeast and
southeast trade winds converge.
The zone appears as a band of
clouds, usually thunderstorms,
that encircle the globe near the
Equator.
Variation in the latitude of the
zone drastically affects
rainfall in many equatorial
nations resulting in the wet and
dry seasons of the tropics
rather than the cold and warm
seasons of higher latitudes.
Longer-term changes in the zone
the result in severe droughts or
flooding.
Commission officials have called
on the population to keep
maintaining security measures as
follow:
- Be vigilant, mainly in areas
with vulnerability to flooding
due to sewer saturation,
increased flow in rivers and
places with a high propensity to
a landslide.
- Take shelter if there is an
electrical storm.
- Be aware of possible falling
tree branches, power lines, and
other objects during strong
winds.
- Close doors and windows in the
case of electrical storms.
- Disconnect electrical
equipment, because the lightning
can lead to discharge through
the cables. Televisions are
particularly dangerous at those
times.
- Avoid bathing or using the
sink during storms because metal
pipes can transmit electricity.
- Take refuge inside a building
if in a swimming poo and a storm
approaches.
- Avoid being in tall structures
such as towers, or trees or on
roofs during storms.
- Drive with the windows closed.
- Turn on vehicle lights in case
of heavy rain.
- Stay away from the edges of
rivers, sewers, and bridges.
- In case of emergency, call 911
to inquire about the nearest
shelter and notify the
authorities.
The A.M. Costa Rica team calls
on readers to share this alert
among their contacts.
--------------------------
Have you traveled Route 32
recently? We
would like to know your thoughts
on this story. Send your
comments to news@amcostarica.com
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