Heavy rain affects four provinces in Costa Rica

Rain and high waves early this Thursday caused emergencies in 15 cantons throughout the country, according to reports from the National Emergency Commission (CNE).

According to the National Meteorological Institute (IMN), the rain was caused by high temperatures in the morning and significant humidity from the Pacific Ocean.

Showers and thunderstorms were responsible for incidents in at least 15 cantons in the provinces of Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia and the capital, San José.

Rivers and drainage systems in these cantons that could not withstand the water overflowed, causing flooding in homes, damage to roads and bridges, felled trees and several landslides.

CNE reported that it has evacuated 36 people to five temporary shelters in Cartago, San José and Puntarenas.

IMN forecasts for Thursday night indicate that rains and electrical storms will continue in the Central Valley, the Pacific and Northern regions and the mountainous areas of the Caribbean.

On Wednesday, waves of up to 10 feet crashed along Costa Rica’s Pacific shores and flooded homes for the second time in less than a month.