A wetter than usual rainy season in Costa Rica, helped in part by Hurricane Felix, continued to pound the region with rain, hail and high winds this past week.
Landslides and floods were also reported in the Pacific and Central Valley areas.
Forecasts of heavy rain from Hurricane Felix diminished by Wednesday, as it lost power and became a tropical depression. But a low-pressure front brought lightning and hail to the country mid-week, said Gustavo Murillo, meteorologist for the National Meteorological Institute.
Rains brought by Felix hit Costa Rica’s Pacific region the hardest, Murillo said.
Torrential downpours fell on Costa Rica Monday, with San José recording 71 millimeters of rain. In Alajuela, where 58 millimeters were recorded, a man was swept away while crossing a bridge over an enlarged creek.
The man was able to save himself by clinging to a tree, said Noemy Coto, a Red Cross spokeswoman.
“He was wet, but overall OK,” Coto said.
This rainy season has already left many parts of the country’s infrastructure saturated, and more rain is expected to make the situation worse, said Daniel Gallardo, president of the National Emergency Commission (CNE).
