UPDATED 9:53am
(QCOSTARICA) – ALL roads to the Caribbean coast are closed due to the heavy rains of the last few hours.
According to the director of the Policia de Transito (Traffic Police), Mario Calderon, access is only by air due to the closure of the seven routes that link to that region.
The Ruta 32, the main access road, is closed due landslides at kilometers 19 and 25, near the tunnel Zurquí. The road had been expected to have re-opened this morning after closing at 10:00pm last night, but, adverse weather conditions continued to batter the area.
Communities like Paraíso, Turrialba, Guapiles, Siquirres, Limón and Sixaola are not accessible by road from San Jose.
Access to and from La Fortuna, San Ramon, Sarchi, Rio Cuatro and San Carlos is closed up to the Rio Frio crossing at Ruta 32.
“Literally there is no access (…). There is only the possibility by air. The recommendation to the population is not to move ahead into this area if not necessary so as to give priority to the machinery and emergency units,” Calderon said.
The police chief added that the Consejo Nacional de Vialidad (Conavi) – National Highway Council – is doing its best to move machinery and crews to the different places to enable to re-open passage as soon as possible, which for the most part will depend on the weather conditions.
At the Q we will be monitoring this situation and provide updated reports.
We recommend checking the Policia de Transito website before heading out to anywhere outside the Central Valley.
