The Costa Rican government says investments of more than 8 billion colones (about $13 million*) will help protect communities in the Caribbean from future flooding.
The projects correspond to preventive measures that will protect more than 60,000 people from the communities of Limón center, Siquirres, Matina, Pococí and Talamanca.
The works include the following:
- Extension of the Limoncito River
- Placement of protection on the slopes from the bridge of the Cocos to the Chitá Bridge
- Extension of the Chocolate ravine, from the Chitá Bridge to the ENVACO bridge
- Extension of the Nameless Ravine (known as Chinita)
- Expansion of the Japdeva channel
- Interception in approximately three kilometers of the Santa Rosa channel
- Construction of landfill structures and minor canals in the urban area of Limoncito
- Reconstruction of 1,600 meters of dam over the Sahara and Pueblo Nuevo sector
- Pick up from the 6.4 kilometers of the Caño Azul ravine
- Construction of a dam in areas where there is no structure and that would directly compromise the localities of El Cocal, San Alberto Viejo, Canada and La Lucha.
More than 3,000 people, including many from the Caribbean region, were evacuated to shelters during widespread flooding in July. The National Emergency Commission (CNE) says it distributed food packages to some 20,000 families after the weather emergency.
Local tourism chambers continue to criticize what they call inadequate road infrastructure in the area.
* A previous version of this story missed a few zeroes on the currency conversion. Thanks to our readers for pointing this out!
