QCOSTARICA – The number of people in shelters, due to this week’s storm, rose from 1,500 to 3,000 between Saturday and Sunday.
According to the omisión Nacional de Emergencias (CNE), numerous families left their homes in flooded areas and were transferred to safe places, mainly in Limón, Sarapiquí de Heredia, the northern area of Alajuela, as well as the Cartago cantons of Turrialba and Jiménez.
The number of shelters enabled went from 29 to 52.
For its part, the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) reported that it had transferred from Limón downtown to La Estrella the materials that will allow an emergency bridge to be placed on Route 36, which leads to the south of the province of Limón.
This area was isolated from the rest of the country, without drinking water and without fuel, because, on Friday, the force of the water took away an approach ramp of the bridge over the La Estrella river, on route 36, which connects Limón downtown with Bribrí, in Talamanca.
The MOPT confirmed that it had sent a structure of about 12 meters long, which will finish being placed between Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.
For now, because of this landslide, the CNE has set up a humanitarian bridge that brings essential supplies to Talamanca, using eight four-wheel drive vehicles from various institutions, which transport 600 food rations along the San Clemente route.
Other supplies, such as food, blankets, water, and masks, are also sent to the cantons of Alvarado, Turrialba, Guatuso, Matina, Siquirres, and Jiménez.
According to information compiled by the CNE, the San Juan and Colorado rivers still remain overflowing, while the Chirripó, Sarapiquí, Pacuare, Reventazón, Barbilla and Tortuguero rivers continue with high levels.
Alexánder Solís, president of the CNE, declared that, as the waters diminish in the territories, it will be possible to begin with the evaluation of damages in agriculture, vital lines, housing and road infrastructure.
At the moment, the Government maintains a red alert declaration for the cantons of San Carlos, Upala, Guatuso, Turrialba, Matina, Limón, Talamanca and Sarapiquí.
The rest of the Huetar Caribe and Huetar Norte regions are on an orange alert, while there is a yellow alert for the Central Valley and a green alert for the Chorotega region, the Central Pacific and the Brunca region.
In the morning hours of Sunday, President Carlos Alvarado announced that the number of sheltered was 1,900, which rose to 3,081 hours later.
Before entering the session of the Nicoya Municipal Council, to celebrate the 197th anniversary of the Annexation of Nicoya, the president said: “From the hours of the night of yesterday (Saturday), the rain decreased its intensity which has allowed us to have more access.
“Air Surveillance has already made a series of overflights to identify the affected areas more clearly. We have more access so that the National Emergency Commission (CNE) and other relief bodies can bring the things that the different communities are needing.
“The work of primary care of the emergency continues at this time and will continue for the next few days to respond to the people.”
At the same time, the national weather service, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), in a report issued this Sunday at 8am, said that the decrease in the intensity of the trade winds towards the Caribbean coast has allowed the rainy activity in that region to be less than in previous days.
As expected, by Sunday afternoon and early evening, there were isolated rains in the Caribbean mountains and in the north, as well as isolated showers in the Central Valley. However, an increase in rainfall Pacific is anticipated.
Likewise, it was reported that the arrival of tropical wave number 18 is expected move through the country on Monday, which could isolated showers with a possible storm in the northern Caribbean.
