Costa Rica decrees red alert due to torrential rains from Hurricane Rafael, which leaves one dead

Costa Rica raised the alert level from orange to red on Tuesday due to torrential rains from Hurricane Rafaelwhich caused the death of a 23-year-old young man as well as floods and landslides in the Pacific coastal area. El Salvador sent two humanitarian aid contingents and 300 rescue personnel.

Given the flooding, landslides and falling trees caused by the rains, the National Emergency Commission of Costa Rica raised the alert level from orange to red for the entire Pacific coast, where rainfall is expected to intensify in the coming hours. .

The torrential rains have so far caused serious damage in Conacaste and Limón, explained the Costa Rican president, Rodrigo Chaves, in an official event and said that 30 institutions in that country are already working in the area with more than 4,100 officials.

The authorities also reported the death of a 23-year-old young man and estimated that 1,365 people had been displaced to shelters, mainly in the provinces of Guanacaste and Puntarenas, on the Pacific coast. The Costa Rican government did not provide details on how the death occurred.

Classes have been suspended in all public schools since Monday and it is considered extending the measure until Friday. In addition, roads were closed in high-risk mountainous areas such as Route 32 – which connects the capital San José with the Caribbean – and the South Inter-American Route.

El Salvador sends rescuers, food and medicine

El Salvador sent two humanitarian aid contingents to Costa Rica on Tuesday with more than 300 rescue personnel, the presidential press office reported.

Upon learning of the situation, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who is on a state visit to Costa Rica, offered on Monday the support of rescuers, food and medicine that he had offered to the Spanish government for the DANA victims in Valencia and was ready to leave.

The delegation — which left the international airport on Tuesday — also includes firefighters, soldiers, 15 tons of food and six tons of supplies to deal with the emergency.

“The second plane is already in the air and the third will depart in the next few hours. In total, there will be 3 aid planes with more than 300 rescuers and paramedics, canine rescuers and 400 tons of supplies,” said the Salvadoran president, Nayib Bukele, on his official account on the social network X, formerly Twitter.

That contingent was ready to leave for Spain, given the damage also caused by the DANA storms on the Mediterranean coast. “We had a mission ready to go to Valencia with 300 rescuers and medical supplies, food, a full plane, we have had it ready for days. I understand that the government of Spain for some reason is not accepting international aid,” said Bukele.

The team sent by El Salvador is part of an urban search and rescue group that in February 2023 traveled to Türkiye to help after a powerful earthquake.

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