Calendar of Events and Posts
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Nov
28
Upland Damage Extensive; Help Sought
November 28, 2008 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters, Helping Out | 1 Comment
 The Caracol River washed away the bridge which was the access to the community of Los Ángeles de Río Jiménez de Guácimo. Photo by Mario Rojas, courtesy of La Nacion. |
While the communities of Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, Cocles and Punta Uva are mostly getting back to normal after the flooding, the upland communities where tourists rarely go remain severely affected. This includes the town of Sixaola on the Panama border so the land crossing to Panama (a frequent route for travelers is Puerto Viejo to Bocas, Panama) remains closed for now.
The emergency commission (CNE) is estimating some 42 billion colones (77 million US$) in damages to highways, streets, agricultural crops, damaged wells and aqueducts, clinics and schools. The impact beyond this to individual homeowners and in lost business will increase this amount greatly.
CNE also estimates some 46,000 persons affected by the flooding including 5.497 who remain in shelters, unable to return to their homes. They are also reporting that although the water has receded in most places there remain 35 communities whose access to the outside world is cut off by the flooding.
Help is still sought as well. The Cruz Roja is mounting a national campaign and locally the relief effort is being coordinated by ATEC which has setup pickup points locally where donations of food, water, clothing, money, medicine, tools, toys, holiday gifts, and cash. Puerto Viejo Satellite and the Talamanca News are helping out by processing credit card donations for people so that people can help from whereever they are. We will cover all credit card fees so 100% of your donation will go to the relief effort.
More:
- La Nacion: CNE estima las pérdidas por lluvias en ¢42.000 millones
- Teletica (video): Lluvias generan millonarias pérdidas en Limón
Nov
26
Temporary Bridge to Puerto Viejo Opened
November 26, 2008 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters, Transport | 1 Comment
| Correction: I had previously published incorrectly that this crossing was suitable for all vehicles but apparently they are asking that large trucks and buses not use the temporary crossing. Regular passenger vehicles, smaller trucks and shuttle vans such as Interbus and Grayline are operating across the temporary span though. |
Construction crews worked all day today and a temporary crossing, suitable for all but buses and large trucks, is now open where the damaged bridge was on Playa Negra.
 Construction crews finishing temporary crossing where the bridge at Playa Negra into Puerto Viejo had washed out. |
Nov
26
Donation Drive Launched to Help Flood Victims
November 26, 2008 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters, Helping Out | 2 Comments
Greencoast.com and ATEC, with the Tourism Chamber, the Biofuel Cooperative, Associacion ANAI, local pulperias and PuertoViejoSatellite.com are working together to gather donations of food, water, clothing, money, medicine, tools, toys, holiday gifts, and cash.
 This family cannot return to their house in Celia, Talamanca so they wait for help. Photo by Martin Caraval, courtesy of La Nacion. |
The community of Yorkin in Alta-Talamanca lost its bridge, its lodge, its water and septic systems and needs help rebuilding. Many other communities are also suffering.
ReciCaribe’s truck will bring up donated items this week and again as long as we keep getting donations—they lost their crops they will need help for a long time.
Look for a donations box at the following supermarkets (soon to be more) or bring donations to the following places listed below.
- Pulperia La Violeta, Playa Negra
- Super Buen Precio, Puerto Viejo
- Super Pirrilpli, Cocles
- Duende Gourment, Playa Chiquita
or to:
- ATEC in Puerto Viejo 2750 0191
- Aguas Claras in Playa Chiquita 2750 0131
- The Mariposario in Cahuita, contact Leda 2755 0108 or 8844 8032
- ANAI in Hone Creek 2756 8021
- ANAI in San Jose, contact Diego 2224 3570 or diego@anaicr.org
100% of cash donations will be given to flood victims will be completely transparent and will be posted on here on the Talamanca News and on Greencoast.com.
Credit card donations can be made at www.puertoviejosatellite.com/donate.php. Puerto Viejo Satellite will cover the credit card fees so that 100% of your donation will be forwarded to help out.
You can also make a donation through Banco Nacional so no fees are paid. Please see account details on Greencoast.com.
Please consider at this time of giving thanks, that we have our health and safety, and that we are thankful that we are able to be generous to our neighbors.
Please contact ATEC with ideas, questions, help, or concerns:+506 2750 0398 or atecmail@gmail.com
Nov
24
Rain to Diminish Tue and Wed; Back to Normal by Thursday
November 24, 2008 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters | 1 Comment
According to the National Metorological Institute, the rains will diminish gradually Tuesday and Wednesday and we’ll be back to normal weather by Thursday.
The rain has stopped falling for now but they are forecasting a return to heavy rains tonight which is why the red alert remains in force for the Atlantic coast.
There’s even a forecast of a little sun to sneak through the clouds by tomorrow afternoon.
Nov
24
Caribbean Coast Cut Off by Rising Waters
November 24, 2008 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters, Transport | 1 Comment
Continued rain and rising waters have caused more bridges to become impassable and landslides to close roads on the Caribbean Coast.
Cruz Roja rescues resident stranded by rising waters
La Nación is reporting the closure at 1 a.m. this morning of the Braulio Carrillo highway between San Jose and Limon due to 3 landslides on the route. As well the alternate route through Turrialba is also blocked due to landslides between Turrialba and Siquirres. Finally they also say there is a road closure between Siquirres and Limon due to rising waters of the Chirripó River.
Earlier unconfirmed reports also said that the highway between Cahuita and Limon is also blocked due to rising waters of the Rio Estrella. However, we just crossed the bridge and although the water is running fast there is no sign that the bridge was or is about to be overwhelmed by the water. A JAPDEVA employee stated that the full route between Hone Creek and Limon is open. JAPDEVA and ICE crews were out in force on the roads.
Other rumours said that the bridge linking BriBri and Sixaola to Hone Creek and on the rest of the country is also unpassable but this is unconfirmed. If anyone has photos or verification of this either way, please email editor@talamancanews.com.
MEPE´s San Jose office advised at 2pm today that there will be no more buses today but tommorow they advise simply ”vamos a ver” (let´s wait and see).
Besides the road closures, more than 4,000 people have been left temporarily homeless by the rain. The Cruz Roja has more than 50 staff working in the area and is mobilizing auxiliary forces to try and rescue people stranded by the storm.
Photos and further updates will be published as they become available.
Nov
23
Flooding Slams Caribbean Coast; Bridge Out to Puerto Viejo
November 23, 2008 | Tags: 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.
Jul
24
Drowning victim at Rockin J’s
July 24, 2008 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters | 2 Comments
The tricky waves and currents of our local beaches have claimed another victim. Tony Nicolais, a 38-year-old DJ from Orland Park, Illinois, died Monday while snorkeling in choppy water on the beach near Rocking J’s, where he had been staying.
“It wasn’t (good) snorkeling conditions,” said Joseph John Korchmoros, owner of the Hotel. “There were waves, there was current. You would never go snorkeling in that condition. The visibility was maybe one or two feet.”
A neighbor alerted the hotel staff that something was wrong with a man in the water.
“Someone said there was a man floating strangely,” Korchmoros said. “Me and another guy ran out and tried to resuscitate him.”
The Red Cross of Talamanca and medics arrived on the scene shortly thereafter and also tried CPR to no avail.
“When the Red Cross reached him, there was nothing they could do,” said Melvin Marin of the Puerto Viejo police. “The guy was dead.”
He was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m.
Some water safety tips:
• Ask locals or at your hotel about the conditions before getting in the water.
• Remember that other than the beach at Playa Cocles our beaches are not patrolled by lifeguards.
• Go with a buddy!
• If you get caught in a riptide or current that is taking you out, swim alongside the current and try and make your way in diagonally rather than fighting it head on. Whatever you do, don’t panic and exhaust yourself — if you can’t get in, stay calm and try and attract the attention of someone on shore.
Source: Tico Times: U.S. deejay dies on Caribbean beach
Mar
29
Drowning in Cocles among 41 Nationwide Semana Santa Deaths
March 29, 2008 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters | 4 Comments
La Nación is reporting 41 violent deaths nationwide during Semana Santa including 15 deaths due to traffic accidents, 11 homicides, 9 drownings, 5 from flooding and 1 in a fire. Suicides were not included in the statistics.
Among the victims was Fernando Gómez, 22, who drowned Saturday at 1 p.m. at Playa Cocles.
More: La Nación: Semana Santa dejó 41 muertos en forma violenta
Jan
14
Near Drowning Raises Awareness of Need for Water Safety
January 14, 2008 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters | 2 Comments
 Alfredo, Agustin and Giovani on Playa Negra; the Banana Azul employees who heroically risked their own lives to save the lives of two guests who were drowning. |
A frightening incident on January 7th near the end of our spate of stormy weather highlighted the need for everyone visiting Puerto Viejo to be aware of water safety issues and check with locals about the conditions before swimming.
A tourist was swimming on Playa Negra in front of Hotel Banana Azul and realized that the current was dragging him out and he couldn’t get back in to the beach. His girlfriend ran back to the hotel for help and Agustin left the front desk to run and help. He brought a boogie board into the water, swam out to the man and gave it to him and he managed to get in.
But another tourist had joined the rescue effort; he had also paddled out with a boogie board but was now unable to paddle back in. Agustin swam over to him and tried to calm the man down who was certain he was going to die but he was still unable to make any progress. Giovani joined them in the water with another boogie board and they gave the man this and attempted to get him in still with no luck. Then a wave crashed on the second man who then lost his boogie board. Meanwhile they could feel the current dragging them out and started to worry for their own safety.
Finally, Alfredo joined the fray with a surfboard strapped to his ankle. The three of them managed to get the man onto the surfboard and together they managed to paddle him in after much effort. The whole incident lasted about 45 terrifying minutes. The man lay on the beach utterly exhausted for an hour before he was able to move.
Unfortunately our beaches in Puerto Viejo do not have lifeguards (with the exception of Playa Cocles which has a lifeguard paid for by local businesses) so it is your responsibility to ask about local conditions before you get in the water. Thankfully these men were not swimming alone and so their plight was noticed.
Kudos to all those involved for putting their own lives at risk to save another. We are so thankful it turned out as it did.
Jan
8
Child killed by speeding vehicle; task force formed to discuss problem
January 8, 2008 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters, Community Calendar | Leave a Comment
| January 18, 2008 | ||
| 3:00 pm | to | 5:00 pm |
Last week, on the 2nd of January, a couple from France who were here visiting for a few months, were returning from their friends’ home to their own rental house in Manzanillo, with their two small boys ages 4 and 18 months. They had about one and a half kilometers to walk along the main road into the pueblo. It was a clear afternoon about 3:30 P.M. They were positioned single-file along the edge of the road, just passing a big pot hole. A speeding motorist approaching from the opposite direction suddenly saw the dangerous pot hole, swerved to miss it, hit the gravel along the edge, lost control of his vehicle, careened sideways across the road and slammed into the father and his 4 yr. old son. The father was thrown onto the hood of the vehicle and into the brush suffering a head concussion. The boy ended up under the vehicle in the ditch. He died en route to San Jose in the ambulance several hours later. Consequently, one family’s lives have been irreparably shattered forever and an entire community mourns their loss The culprit is not alcohol – the driver was sober. The culprit is not the pot holes – they are a part of every road in this country. The culprit is the irresponsible act of speeding on winding, unmarked, unsafe roads frequented by pedestrians and bicyclers, locals as well as visitors.
On January 18th, at 3:00 P.M. at the MINAE building in Manzanillo, the issue of SPEEDING DRIVERS will be addressed, as part of the planned Association meeting. Also, a multi-purpose Task Force is being formed to work towards developing a keener awareness throughout this area – from Hone Creek to Manzanillo - about driving safely, responsibly, and respectfully. Hopefully a strong anti-speeding campaign can change habits and save lives.
If you are interested in being a part of this Task Force, or if you have questions or queries regarding this issue, please come to the meeting in Manzanillo or contact Julie at 759-9005 or via e-mail at julsimstander@racsa.co.cr.
Dec
27
Flooding hits Sixaola hard
December 27, 2007 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters | Leave a Comment
Evacuated residents were heading home Wednesday to clean up mud and debris left by flood waters. In hard-hit Sixaola, many residents remained in shelters as flood waters of as much as 2 meters hadn’t completely receded. Hundreds of evacuees went to the community hall in Cahuita.
Sixaola is on the border with Panama, just over an hour from Puerto Viejo (view on map).
Read more: A.M. Costa Rica: Sixaola area is the hardest hit Caribbean coast community.
More rain is forecast for Friday.
Dec
11
Spanish tourist drowns at Volio Waterfall
December 11, 2007 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters | Leave a Comment
 The Volio Waterfall near Bri-Bri, accessible by hiking trail with local guides |
A group of 4 tourists from Spain were taken to the Volio Waterfall up past BriBri by a local guide from Puerto Viejo. One the men was in the waterfall when all of a sudden a large volume of water (called a head water) surged over the waterfall and knocked the man into the pool. It appears he drowned instantly.
Rains have been very heavy this November and December. It is surprising that a local guide would not be aware of the dangers of this type of excursion with these weather conditions.
Oct
25
American Tourist Dies on Fishing Trip off Cahuita
October 25, 2007 | Tags: Accidents and Natural Disasters, Community News | Leave a Comment
 The body of Delroy Johnson Ferguson, 62, was recovered yesterday, floating in the ocean near Puerto Vargas. Photo by Marvin Carvajal courtesy of La Nacion. |
Delroy Johnson, 62, died yesterday morning when the boat in which he and two companions were fishing hit something, causing them to take on water through a hole in the boat. The accident happened at approximately 6 a.m.
The boat was equipped neither with lifejackets or a radio. When it was clear the boat was sinking, Johnson’s two companions gave him the fuel tank to use as a flotation device. But in the hot Caribbean sun, the fuel tank became too hot and Johnson was unable to hang on. The three men then started to swim but Johnson was unable to continue and drowned. His two companions, Arnoldo Johnson and Aníbal Wray Drummond, swam more than two hours to make it to shore.
His body was recovered by the Coast Guard at about 10:30 a.m. Johnson was in Cahuita visiting friends and family on a 15 day trip from his home in Conneticut.
Links: La Nacion: Muere pescador aficionado en hundimiento de bote.
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