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 People reported flooded houses, schools and shops, fallen trees and electric wires, as well as bridges, drinking water pipelines and destroyed roads across the country. - National Emergency Commission photo - |
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Published on
Thursday, July 29, 2021
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff According to the National Emergency Commission, there were almost a reported 3,000 emergencies in damages caused by the nonstop thunderstorms that ravaged Costa Rica last week. People reported flooded houses, schools and shops, fallen trees and electric wires, as well as bridges, drinking water pipelines and destroyed roads across the country. July has been the rainiest month in the last 80 years, according to Werner Stolz, director of the National Meteorological Institute.  As of Wednesday, there were more than 2,600 displaced people staying among the 49 shelters that were enabled in the cantons of more destroyed areas such as Talamanca, Limón City and Matina in Limón Province; Sarapiquí in Heredia Province; Turrialba, Jiménez in Cartago Province; and in Upala, Guatuso, San Carlos and Los Chiles in Alajuela Province. The people in the shelters are provided a safe place to stay with food, hygiene, personal products and medical attention. According to Social Security, the extreme weather has forced nurse's teams to visit shelters and continue vaccinating people against covid-19 or influenza. In some areas, where roads are in good condition to transport health workers and vaccines, they have made home visits to apply the treatment. For example, in the northern part of the country, the application of both types of vaccines have continued in shelters and at homes to people who have not yet been vaccinated and live in the cantons of Guatuso, Katira, Río Celeste, Pital, Santa Rosa and Los Chiles, Ciudad Quesada, La Fortuna, central Florence, Rancho Las Melinas, Penjamo, Peje Viejo and Platanar. Authorities call on the public to avoid tourist or sports activities in rivers such as swimming, diving, rafting, canyoning, river bugging, kayaking, cliff jumping, fishing, sailing among others in the cantons under Emergency National Decree. The cantons affected are the following: Turrialba, Jimenez in Cartago Province; Los Chiles, Upala, Guatuso, San Carlos and Rio Cuarto in Alajuela Province; Sarapiqui in Heredia Province; Matina, Pococi, Limon city, Guacimo, Siquirres, and Talamanca in Limon Province. In order to hasten the aid of people and infrastructure repairs, President Carlos Alvarado enacted the Presidential Decree of National Emergency in those 14 cantons.  Last week, the Commission established a Red Alert in the following eight cantons: Upala, Guatuso, San Carlos in Alajuela Province; the canton of Sarapiqui in Heredia Province, in Turrialba Canton of Cartago Province; and the cantons of Matina, Limon city and Talamanca in Limon Province. As for the rest of Costa Rica, specialists ordered an Orange Alert in the rest of the Limon Province, the cantons of Rio Cuarto and Los Chiles in the northern zone of Alajuela Province. The alert is activated when the high-risk situation can cause an emergency to the people in a specific area. Green Alert was set in the provinces of Puntarenas and Guanacaste. This alert is given when it is anticipated that a meteorological phenomenon endangers a specific area in the country. Yellow Alert status is in place for the Greater Metropolitan Area (includes cities surrounding San José such as Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago). This alert prepares rescue forces for an increased danger of a natural phenomenon that will affect the population in a specific region. As people prepare for rains and possible damages, everyone must remain alert to avoid scams and frauds attempted by those taking advantage of the misfortune of people impacted by the weather, according to a government campaign. Authorities set up a unique and official Google form, Humanitarian Aid Offering site, to coordinate donations. Donors must include their contact information and indicate the type of donation, such as: food, clothing, health products, transportation, among others. Once form is submitted, officers authorized by the Commission will be in contact to coordinate the delivery of the donations. Donations of food, medicine kits and clothes will be collected at all 216 Walmart supermarkets across the country. As well as in the malls Avenida Escazú, City Mall, Escazú Village, Lincoln Plaza, Mall Multicentro, Mall San Pedro, Mango Plaza, Multiplaza Curridabat, Multiplaza Escazú, Oxygen, Paseo de las Flores, Paseo Metrópoli, Plaza Bratsi, Plaza Real, Terrazas Lindora and Terramall. -------------------------- What should the government do to avoid new floods destroying more communities? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com             
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