Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Surprise Storm - from AM Costa Rica.com
Surprise storm ravages central, south Pacific coasts
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Just four days after the weather system that would become the deadly tropical storm Agatha moved north, a surprise storm with high winds struck much of the near Pacific coast from Golfito to Jacó.
One fisherman is missing, thousands were without power, and Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio is closed through the weekend because of fallen trees and damage to trails. Internet and phone lines were down, too.
The storm struck unexpectedly around 9 p.m. Tuesday with 70 kph winds. The reason is what the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional called tropical wave #8, one of those troughs of low pressure that move across the lower latitudes from east to west. The weather institute said that a companion tropical wave, #9, would continue to cause unstable conditions today. There was rain in many parts of the country during Wednesday as a result of this weather condition.
The national emergency commission admitted Wednesday that the intensity shown by the storm generated by the tropical wave took its experts and the weather institute by surprise. The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad also monitors conditions. All three agencies knew the wave was coming but had no idea it would spawn such intense conditions.
The Costa Rica Fishing Report in Quepos said that 12 small boats sank or were missing and that many others suffered damage. The Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas identified the missing fisherman as Lencho Velásquez, 63. He was in the company of two other men on the "Regalo de Dios" that cast off Tuesday afternoon.
Early Wednesday the other two men came ashore and sought aid because the boat had sunk. The mishap took place at Punta Catedral at the mouth of the Río Naranjo en Quepos.
The Ministerio de Salud officially closed the Manuel Antonio park at 3 p.m. although the storm
had closed it effectively hours before. Some stranded tourists had to walk out, and park rangers
said that trails were damaged and there was no power or telephones. The ministry said that pedestrians could enter the park to visit the beach but they would be on their own.
The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad said that about 6,750 power customers were affected in Quepos, Parrita and Jacó. Power poles toppled, and transformers crashed to the pavement in some areas when the storm hit. Some residents said they were without power for 12 hours over Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Others still have no electricity.
The company known as ICE said that it was trying to reestablish fixed line telephone service to 2,500 customers and to hook up about 500 customers of the firm's wide band Internet service. That was the latest report at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The company said it was bringing in more emergency crews.
The emergency commission said that 60 homes were flooded. It declared an alert for the entire coast from Jacó south. The commission said that it was providing bedding and other needs for an estimated 1,000 persons whose homes had been damaged or destroyed by the sudden storm.
The commission reported damage in the Golfito communities of Bella Vista, Golfito Centro, Las Viquillas, Los Ángeles de Río Largarto and Bambel 2. In the canton of Aguirre the commission reported damage in Quepos Centro, Finca la Paquita, El Cocal, Damas, Barrio La Inmaculada, Barrio Paraíso, Lomas de Alvarado and Hotel Villa de la Selva, as well as Manuel Antonio. In Parrita, there was damage in La Julieta and Palo Seco.
The regional coordinator of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, Alexis Muñoz, said that falling trees caused damage at clinics and hospitals in the area. In Parrita the storm shredded a tent that had been put up for a vaccination program. The Hospital de Quepos continued to function because it has its own electrical generator.
There were downpours in the afternoon and evening in many locations in Costa Rica Wednesday. More are predicted for today.
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Just four days after the weather system that would become the deadly tropical storm Agatha moved north, a surprise storm with high winds struck much of the near Pacific coast from Golfito to Jacó.
One fisherman is missing, thousands were without power, and Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio is closed through the weekend because of fallen trees and damage to trails. Internet and phone lines were down, too.
The storm struck unexpectedly around 9 p.m. Tuesday with 70 kph winds. The reason is what the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional called tropical wave #8, one of those troughs of low pressure that move across the lower latitudes from east to west. The weather institute said that a companion tropical wave, #9, would continue to cause unstable conditions today. There was rain in many parts of the country during Wednesday as a result of this weather condition.
The national emergency commission admitted Wednesday that the intensity shown by the storm generated by the tropical wave took its experts and the weather institute by surprise. The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad also monitors conditions. All three agencies knew the wave was coming but had no idea it would spawn such intense conditions.
The Costa Rica Fishing Report in Quepos said that 12 small boats sank or were missing and that many others suffered damage. The Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas identified the missing fisherman as Lencho Velásquez, 63. He was in the company of two other men on the "Regalo de Dios" that cast off Tuesday afternoon.
Early Wednesday the other two men came ashore and sought aid because the boat had sunk. The mishap took place at Punta Catedral at the mouth of the Río Naranjo en Quepos.
The Ministerio de Salud officially closed the Manuel Antonio park at 3 p.m. although the storm
had closed it effectively hours before. Some stranded tourists had to walk out, and park rangers
said that trails were damaged and there was no power or telephones. The ministry said that pedestrians could enter the park to visit the beach but they would be on their own.
The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad said that about 6,750 power customers were affected in Quepos, Parrita and Jacó. Power poles toppled, and transformers crashed to the pavement in some areas when the storm hit. Some residents said they were without power for 12 hours over Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Others still have no electricity.
The company known as ICE said that it was trying to reestablish fixed line telephone service to 2,500 customers and to hook up about 500 customers of the firm's wide band Internet service. That was the latest report at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The company said it was bringing in more emergency crews.
The emergency commission said that 60 homes were flooded. It declared an alert for the entire coast from Jacó south. The commission said that it was providing bedding and other needs for an estimated 1,000 persons whose homes had been damaged or destroyed by the sudden storm.
The commission reported damage in the Golfito communities of Bella Vista, Golfito Centro, Las Viquillas, Los Ángeles de Río Largarto and Bambel 2. In the canton of Aguirre the commission reported damage in Quepos Centro, Finca la Paquita, El Cocal, Damas, Barrio La Inmaculada, Barrio Paraíso, Lomas de Alvarado and Hotel Villa de la Selva, as well as Manuel Antonio. In Parrita, there was damage in La Julieta and Palo Seco.
The regional coordinator of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, Alexis Muñoz, said that falling trees caused damage at clinics and hospitals in the area. In Parrita the storm shredded a tent that had been put up for a vaccination program. The Hospital de Quepos continued to function because it has its own electrical generator.
There were downpours in the afternoon and evening in many locations in Costa Rica Wednesday. More are predicted for today.
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