As roads continue to be cleared, bridges replaced and repaired, and communities have their water and electricity services restored, slowly Costa Rica is emerging from Tropical Storm Nate’s deluge

As of today, Tuesday, October 18, there are now 18 counties in Costa Rica that remain in a state of red – or high – alert, due to persisting threats in the aftermath of the storm. This is down from the 76 counties that were placed on maximum alert during and soon after the storm.

Public health officials said they have re-established health services throughout the entire country.

The red alert allows for bolstered emergency resources to continue to reach communities severely affected by Nate, which, although the heavy rains have passed, remain at-risk for landslides and other risks as a consequence of flooding. The southern Pacific region remains the most heavily affected, as do some parts of Guanacaste and some mountainous areas outside of San José such as Aserrí and Acosta.

The areas on red alert continue to have classes suspended in public schools.

Public schools in areas under yellow (medium) alert (see map) will open at the discretion of each local school director, said the Ministry of Public Education.

The recovery comes at a time when Costa Rican meteorologists are warning that another tropical weather system is forecasted to bring heavier than normal rains in the central and Pacific regions of the country from Friday-Saturday. This weekend’s predicted system is not expected to turn into a tropical storm or anything major, but may increase rain in some areas, said meteorologists.