High tides flooded homes in Puntarenas on Thursday, October 29, with authorities warning that elevated tides could continue along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast through Saturday, October 31. The National Emergency Commission (CNE) reported flooding in Barrio El Carmen and the community of 20 de Noviembre in Chacarita.
Seawater entered homes, and photographs from the affected areas showed flooded patios and corridors, with furniture and household belongings standing in water. Members of the Puntarenas Municipal Emergency Committee visited the communities to assess damage, identify families’ needs and coordinate assistance. Initial reports did not specify the number of homes affected or provide an estimate of financial losses.
Thursday’s flooding followed repeated high tides earlier in the week. Residents of El Carmen described moving appliances and other belongings off the floor and staying awake to monitor water entering their homes. Flooding was also reported earlier in the week at Playa Zancudo in Golfito and Playa Preciosa in Puerto Jiménez, extending the effects beyond the city of Puntarenas.
The University of Costa Rica’s Oceanographic Information Module, known as MIO-Cimar, warned that the period of unusually high tides could last through Saturday. The CNE urged residents of coastal communities with a history of tidal flooding to watch local conditions and take steps to protect their belongings.
The conditions are associated with spring tides, the higher tides that occur around the new and full moon when the gravitational effects of the Sun and Moon reinforce one another. These events occur regularly and are unrelated to the spring season. MIO-Cimar coordinator Rodney Mora said warmer Pacific waters associated with El Niño were also contributing to higher sea levels, worsening the effects in vulnerable coastal communities. Water expands as it warms, allowing high tides to reach farther into low-lying areas.
El Niño does not cause spring tides, but the combination can increase the risk of flooding along the coast. Mora also warned that similar conditions could recur in November and December, urging coastal residents to prepare for further episodes.
