The National Emergency Commission (CNE) elevated from green to yellow the alert for the Caribbean, North Zone and Sarapiquí due to the strong influence of the cold front in these areas of Costa Rica.

Rainfall hasn’t ceased in the Caribbean, and according to the National Meteorological System (IMN) in the last 24 hours it has rained already half of what it normally rains in a whole month.

Areas such as the center of Limon, Pococí, Guácimo, Talamanca, Cieneguita and Matina have flooded and gusts of wind have reached a speed of 110 kph (68.4 mph ), several rivers have overflown also causing problems on roads. Early this month when another cold front hit the country, these areas were also the most affected.

According to the IMN the country will experience the strongest effects of this cold front during this Monday. For the Caribbean region and the Zona Norte (North Zone) the rain is expected to continue as well as the strong winds.
Mild and occasional rains and winds with speeds of up to 110 kph can be expected also in the Central Valley, South and Central Pacific.

Landslides in Route 32 caused the closure of this main access to the province of Limon and route 10 which communicates Turrialba and Limon was also closed for several hours, both roads were reopened but the National Emergency Commission is monitoring the conditions of these roads since the saturation of the lands and the continues rain can cause new landslides.

Several municipalities and non-government institutions in the Central Valley offered shelters for the close to 700 homeless people that generally sleep in the streets and parks and suffer the low temperatures and winds that could cause their deaths as a consequence of hypothermia.

Hot beverages, food, hot showers, coats, warm clothes, blankets and sleeping bags are also being offered to this population.