CNE

The National Meteorological Institute predicts heavy showers and thunderstorms will continue throughout the week in the Caribbean region and the Central Valley.

Water from an aquaponics system works as an effective fertilizer that reduces crops’ growing time by up to 50 percent and reduces water use by up to 90 percent, according to research from the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry.

Meteorologists are forecasting heavy showers in these areas throughout the week with high rainfall levels in periods of up to 12 hours.

Officials from the Costa Rican Fisheries Institute (INCOPESCA) on Monday said that 180 tons of ammonium nitrate spilled into the Nicoya Gulf last Saturday has not caused significant damage to the area’s marine resources.

Visitor's access to the Turrialba Volcano National Park via La Central will remain closed.

Rainfall along the Pacific coast has gradually returned to normal levels following last year's decrease in rainfall of up to 65 percent in Guanacaste and 30 percent in Puntarenas.

A series of minor tremors, or microseisms, occurring since December has residents of several communities near Costa Rica's Irazú Volcano on alert.

A Yellow Alert is still in effect for the cantons of Turrialba and Alvarado, according to a statement from the National Emergency Commission on Tuesday. National Seismological Network volcanologist Carlos Ramírez told The Tico Times that twice as much ash fell in the eruption at 9:24 p.m. Monday than during the Oct. 29 and 30 eruptions.

Costa Rica's Agriculture and Livestock Minister Luis Felipe Arauz confirmed Thursday morning that crops of carrots, cabbage, onions, cauliflower and potatoes grown north of the province of Cartago “have not been severely affected by the Turrialba Volcano’s activity.”

Officials of the National Emergency Commission (CNE) confirmed that a mudslide on Thursday night partially blocked the Sarapiqui River in north-central Costa Rica.