More Tropical Storms - "Waves"

More Tropical Waves

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff


Tropical waves, which have been an abstract meteorological concept, became all too real for the central Pacific coast.

The region from Golfito to Jacó took it on the chin Tuesday night as one wave passed through. High winds downed trees and telephone lines and probably did millions of dollars of damage to the tourism industry.

That was tropical wave #8. Then #9 came through Wednesday bringing more rain and even some to the Central Valley.

The region was not expecting a strong Tropical Wave #10 that hit the area about 2 p.m. Thursday. More trees went down and emergency crews that were trying to restore lights and telephones found they had more work to do.

Now the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional says that Wave #11 is en route.

These waves are troughs of low pressure aligned in a north-south direction that sweep across the tropical latitudes from east to west. Generally they do not bring heavy downpours and tree-breaking winds.

Despite the latest wave, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad reported it had restored electrical service to 11,460 customers by 4 p.m. Thursday. Still without power were about 4,540 customers, the company said. A portable power generating station has been installed near Quepos to augment the grid.

The principal work areas were in Quepos, Parrita and
Manuel Antonio. The company said that it expected to have service restored to the Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio by midnight. The park, a key tourist attraction, has been closed because of the downed lines and damaged trails at least until Monday.

With the park closed and highways a mess, tourists quickly abandoned the area leaving the local tourism operators wringing their hands.

The situation was better in Jacó where the electric company said it restored power to 4,540 customers within 24 hours of the first storm.

In the last report from the company at 5 p.m. it said that 3,100 land line telephone customers still were without service and that 750 Internet users still were disconnected. Some customers were without service simply because workmen could not reach them.

The company reported access problems in Los Santos, Mastatal, Zapatón, La Juana and La Gloria de Puriscal between Puriscal and Parrita.

The weather institute said that Tropical Wave #10 was continuing to affect the region through the early morning hours.