The Comisión Nacional de Emergencias (CNE) – National Emergencies Commission – declared a yellow alert in nine cantons of Costa Rica this Saturday morning, due to heavy rainfall generated by a high-pressure system in the Atlantic Ocean.
In Limón, Siquirres, Matina and Talamanca are on alert; in Cartago the declaration was issued for Turrialba, Jiménez and Alvarado; while in Heredia the measure is in force in Sarapiquí and San Isidro.
Authorities reported that the rains have generated flooding and closure of roads due to tree falls and landslides in those communities.
At the moment the Ruta 32, which connects San José with Limón, and Ruta 100, between San José and Turrialba, are closed.
Approximately 200 people are trapped between the landslides that fell on Friday on the 32, reported the Cruz Roja (Red Cross) through social networks.
“There are no wounded or sick,” said the institution. In total there would be about 50 vehicles, that includes trucks, cars and a bus with maximum passenger capacity and a vehicle with officials of the CNE, are among debris clusters that prevent their transit.
This information came from the Cruz Roja Terrestrial Search and Rescue Unit patrol at 7:00 am this Saturday, July 14, that at daylight entered the Zurquí to assist the people who were isolated.
The Consejo Nacional de Vialidad (Conavi) reported that on the Ruta 32, between kilometers 29 and 35, a total of 51 landslides occurred since Friday night, when heavy rains began in different parts of the country.
En este momento todo Turrialba está sin servicio de electricidad debido a fuertes aguaceros. #Lluvias pic.twitter.com/dzrw2jQV5l
— Paulo Rodríguez C (@PauloRodriguezC) July 14, 2018
The Conavi indicated that it is already sending machinery to reopen the roads, but it will be some time before that can happen due to the continued rains.
The MOPT Facebook page notes the following closures:
- Ruta 32, por derrumbe, cerca del Río Sucio.
- Ruta 142 entre la represa y Nuevo Arenal no hay paso por derrumbe
and “paso regulado” (restricted transit):
- Ruta 2 en La Hortensia ya tiene paso regulado.
- Ruta 414 Turrialba-Grano de Oro, a la altura de las Quebradas.
- Ruta 415 Turrialba-La Alegría, en Las Brisas.
- Ruta 10, entre el Catie y el Río Reventazón.
It was recommended not to travel through vulnerable places and, in case of not being able to postpone the trip, to drive with extreme caution.
The rains have affected most of the country, with medium to heavy rains at times during the night.
In the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM) of San Jose, this Saturday morning was one of the those rare in the year to wake up to grey skies and rain.
