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Nov
23
Flooding Slams Caribbean Coast; Bridge Out to Puerto Viejo
Posted by Editor | November 23, 2008 | Categories: Accidents and Natural Disasters, Transport | 16 Comments
Five days of torrential rains (and its started to rain again today) have caused massive flooding and a state of emergency to be declared on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.
Yesterday afternoon one of the bridges into Puerto Viejo washed out and it’s not clear when the heavy equipment needed to fix it would be brought in. The damage is extensive although pedestrians and bikes are making their way across a plank where the bridge came away from the road and then on to the bridge, the remains of which are listing at a 30 degree angle.
Bridge out into Puerto Viejo
By yesterday evening, the ground was so saturated and the rain was continuing to fall that water levels kept rising. At Hotel Banana Azul, where this reporter is located, the water rose about a meter in a matter of hours, cresting just half an inch short of the level of the main floor of the hotel before it started to recede.
Other places were not so lucky. Many houses were flooded and had to be evacuated.  At one hotel several trees were reported to have fallen on top of several of the cabinas.
Buses and some transportation continue to run however as the roads to Limon and to San Jose remain open. The MEPE transport bus is running into Puerto Viejo as far as Pulperia Violeta (Jeffrey’s) where people are walking to and from town. Some other forms of transport have been canceled leaving travelers stranded and the bus oversold.
Lining up to leave at the bus stop about 1.5km north of downtown
The communities of Puerto Viejo, Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva and Manzanillo are so far operating fairly normally with no major shortages reported. But getting supplies in will be difficult. Without the bridge on the main road into Puerto Viejo the only other option is Margarita Road, a 4WD only road over the mountains between Playa Cocles and the main highway to Sixaola.
Pedestrians and bikes are still making it across the bridge
Meanwhile La Nacion is reporting more than 2,000 people, mostly in smaller towns, needing shelter with some communities completely unreachable.
Comments
16 Comments so far
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Sounds like an awful week! I remember just a few weeks ago many places in town were out of water because it had been so long since it had rained. Now everyone is under water.
I sure feel badly for the folks who are stuck there on vacation and don’t get to play on the beach or see the sun come out.
Oh my! We were just there for a month at Cashew Hill…marvelous…two rainstorms, but that was it. I pray for the people of this wonderful place.
We are one world…for sure. Hello to all our friends.
Nan and John
Yeah Scott, this does suck for the tourists. No doubt. But let’s not forget about all the local folks without a home to go to right now and many others with expensive property damage and the economic hit that will be felt by nearly all in the entire community due to lost tourists. To all the tourists: sorry, it’s the tropical rain forest. Sometimes the weather gets crazy. It’s what makes it so lush and beautiful here. It’s likely why you came here in the first place. So come again soon because it will be beautiful again soon. And we need you now more than ever. In the mean time, happy sun searching. Maybe try Morocco.
Well, so much for re-visiting Punta Uva this trip! Those poor people … do you suppose there is anything a turista can do for a couple of days to help?
Wow! It has all been too wild. We were about 1 inch from having the hotel flooded before it receeded. Everyone was just sitting around having drinks while the water rose up to unbelieveable levels.
Reminded me of the scene from Titanic where the music was playing as the boat went down. So, we just played some classical music in absence of the soundtrack.
I know, it looks pretty bad at the moment. But in past times when things like this happened, it helped to get people together to help each other. When things are looking pretty bad for oneself is the perfect time to visit neighbours and ask them if they are ok! If, they need anything! Hard times are here to make us come together n help each other. I remember many times when left un-communicated we just sat around candle light, rain poring outside, people visiting each other (sometimes w/ a bottle of something warm), getting together, talking and having a blast…The Caribbean Way!!!
does anyone know if it’s still possible to get to Limon from Puerto Viejo. are any other bridges out between Puerto Viejo and Limon. is it possible to get to san jose from Limon. would really appreciate any info!!! yours, phil in puerto viejo!
Hi, we just drove as far as the Rio Estrella past Penshurt and confirmed that the bridge is open and fine. The earlier rumours that the bridge was closed and they were transporting people in boats across the river must have been completely false.
On the way home we talked to the attendant at the Penshurst gas station and to a JAPDEV (National Roads Dept) employee and they both confirmed that the road to Limon is completely open.
Anyone felt the earthquake last Wedensday night? It sure felt strong. I’m new to Puerto Viejo. Are earthquakes and floods normal for this part of Costa Rica?
Phil: Our web site keeps a complete, up-to-date report on road and bridge closures in the area. Check out: http://www.tropicalreservations-cr.com/b/?cat=12
Gustavo: Flooding is normal in this area, but not to the extent we have had this year. Occassional the Caribbean gets beat up every 4 or 5 years, with this on was more extensive and many long term locals are saying they’ve never seen it quite like this (barring the earthquake of 1991, that is) speaking of which:
That was a 6.2 mag earthquake over on the Pacific side down by the Panama border – it was felt through most of the country. We get occassional tremors, just to let us know that the tectonic plates are still lubricated. It’s a good thing. Better to have small tremors than plates getting stuck… -Hatch
My father lives past La Perla negra on the bar has anyone heard from Pavel? His phone is off. If anyone has info on this please reply.
WORRIED SON!
i will like to thanks the ICE crew and all the volunteers of Manzanillo the Maxi boys to work so hard to restablish the lights You are great guys 6 poles went down they did work ed in pouring rain they are our heroes
Hi Morgan –
That area is fine — just came from there. And vehicles are still getting through down there too since it’s before the bridge out to Puerto Viejo.
The worst hit areas are up in the mountains where the water doesn’t drain as well.
Is your father Paul? I saw him walking the day before yesterday — seemed wet but fine!
Doug.
Yo estaba algunos dÃas en Puerto viejo el verano pasado y es triste ver este desastre. EnvÃo mis saludos a las personas afectadas y tratar como lo que pueda para ayudar a la difusión de las noticias en mi blog personal.
Mi trabajo es en el cambio climatico y soy mucho preocupado por lo futuro de nostra tierra: los desastro son in aumento però my nacio, italia, ahora no es en acordo por reducir los gases (serra) (greenhouse gases): esto no es buone por mi porque los govierno y mucha industria piensa a los dinero ahora y no a lo bien por nostros futuro.
Espero que la pura vida volve pronto en CR y Caribe.
saludos da Italia
Thanks alot, Yha Paul the crazy Czech is my dad glad to hear he is ok.
cheers and good luck to you all! I hope to see you around xmas.
We both arrived to Puerto Viejo Nov. 18th Tuesday evening by bus, it was dark and locals swarmed on us to “escort” us to our hotel. We arrived at Cabinas Guaranas (nice folks) and went out for a decent dinner. The next day it started pouring down rain. We spent the rest of that day in our hotel. We felt a strong earthquake that night. The next day it was still pouring down and we decided to leave, although locals thought the rain would stop. We went to La Fortuna for 3 nights where it was cloudy but very little rain. We then took a taxi to Tamarindo (TamaGringo as some locals call it). The sun made a brief appearance. Finally we decided to settle in here at Junquilal, the weather has been sunny with some clouds. We can’t say that we’d recommend the Hotel Castile El Divertido, but the Iguanazul Hotel has been wonderful.