Costa Rica: Floods - Nov 2024
Disaster description
Heavy rainfall has been affecting Costa Rica since 8 November, causing floods, river overflow and landslides that resulted in casualties and damage. According to media reports, as of 10 November, one child died in Cartago province, central Costa Rica, due to a landslide, and more than 800 people have been displaced in 180 shelters due to floods, some rivers overflowed, and several buildings have been affected. (ECHO, 11 Nov 2024)
On 7 November 2024, the National Meteorological Institute (IMN) issued a Meteorological Advisory reporting that, following the indirect influence of Hurricane Rafael, the Intertropical Convergence Zone persisted over the Central American Isthmus. This phenomenon, combined with the passage of Tropical Wave #45, exacerbated soil saturation across various regions of the country, reaching critical levels in both Peninsulas, the North Pacific, South Pacific mountains, Northern Zone, Central Pacific, and Central Valley. Due to the elevated saturation levels, these areas faced significant vulnerability to potential incidents, prompting the IMN to recommend heightened preventive measures. [...]
It was determined that 1,098,668 people were directly or indirectly affected, mainly due to issues related to damage to essential infrastructure such as water, electricity, and communications. (IFRC, 21 Nov 2024)