Attachments
A. Situation analysis
Description of the disaster
During the early morning of 8 October, Tropical Storm Julia generated rains in the entire national territory of Costa Rica, particularly in the South Pacific, where effects are reported due to overflowing of rivers and streams. The accumulated rainfall according to the National Meteorological Institute (IMN by its Spanish acronym) exceeded 200 mm in the extreme south of the country. As a result, there are high saturation values in the soils, particularly in the South Zone, North Pacific, and North Zone. The event maintained its influence on the territory, particularly in the South Pacific, and gradually dissipated, as well as in the North Pacific and North Zone, where weather conditions remained.
The heavy rains caused flooding in several areas of the country, mainly in the South Pacific regions. The National Emergency Commission (CNE) counted a total of 379 incidents associated with Hurricane Julia in Costa Rica, with the highest number in Golfito with 212 reports, Osa with 63 incidents and Buenos Aires with 35 reports. In Coto Brus there were 19, in Pérez Zeledón 15, in Corredores seven and in Abangares five. As of 10 October, 19 collective centres were available, where 825 people have been sheltered. 13 of the shelters are located in the Brunca Region with 591 people sheltered, four in the Chorotega region with 224 people, one in the Central Pacific with eight people and one in the Northern Zone with two people.
The Ministry of Public Education reported that the passage of Tropical Storm Julia caused various types of damage to 234 educational centres, most of them attached to the regional education directorates of Coto (102) and Grande de Térraba (80), in the southern part of the country. The regional directorates of Desamparados (22), Cañas (13), Pérez Zeledón (12), Puriscal (1), Aguirre (1), Puntarenas (1), San Carlos (1) and Occidente (1) were also affected, based on information provided by the 27 regional education directors.
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) reported 14 national routes affected by the effects of Hurricane Julia in the country.
As shown in the map below, the greatest impact of floods occurred in the Province of Puntarenas in the cantons of Buenos Aires, Osa, Golfito and Palmar.
The National Emergency Commission (CNE, for its Spanish acronym) issued alert #55 on 18 October2 due to increased rainfall, high soil saturation and the passage of Tropical Wave N.44, the CNE has raised the Orange Alert status for the Central Pacific, North Pacific, Cantons of Puriscal, Turrubares and Zona de los Santos. The Northern Zone and the Central Region will remain on Yellow Alert, while the South Pacific will remain on Red Alert.
The National Directorate for Risk Management and Emergency Response (DINAGER) executes its Response Plan, maintaining resources to provide humanitarian assistance in the most affected places and acquiring special equipment to provide support to the community in aquatic rescue.