Costa Rica alert as Foreign Office warns ‘avoid unnecessary travel’

British holidaymakers have been sent a red alert warning by the Foreign Office as Costa Rica faces heavy rainfall.

The Foreign Office has advised against travel to the country, citing widespread downpours. Belize also raised tropical storm warnings for the Central American nation’s coast on Friday due to Tropical Storm Sara lingering in the western Caribbean and soaking Honduras’ northern coast with torrential rain.

Flooding and landslides are potential hazards due to the rainfall in Costa Rica, and alerts have been issued in several areas, with locals being urged to brace for adverse weather.  Britons abroad have been instructed to heed local authorities.

 The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provided an update on the heavy rainfall in Costa Rica. It said: “Costa Rica’s Emergency Services (CNE) declared a Red Alert (very heavy rainfall) for the entire Pacific Region.

“They have also declared Orange Alert (heavy rainfall) for the Northern Central Valley and Northern Caribbean regions and Yellow Alert (moderate rainfall) for the Southern Caribbean region.”

“These conditions are expected to remain through to November 18. “Flooding and landslides may occur, affecting roads throughout Costa Rica.  Please avoid unnecessary travel and remain updated on local weather conditions, while following local authorities’ advice ” 

The Honduran city of San Pedro Sula has already experienced sustained rainfall overnight, with no immediate signs of severe flooding, reports the Mirror.  The storm, named Sara, is predicted to bring 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 centimetres) of rain, and up to 30 inches in isolated areas of northern Honduras.

According to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center, this heavy rainfall could potentially cause life-threatening floods and landslides.

Late on Thursday, the weather system made landfall approximately 105 miles west-northwest of Cabo Gracias a Dios, on the border between Honduras and Nicaragua, as reported by the centre. This is close to Brus Laguna, a village home to around 13,000 people, with few other populated areas nearby.

In November 2020, Honduras was hit by Eta and Iota, both initially making landfall in Nicaragua as powerful Category 4 hurricanes. Northern Honduras bore the brunt of these storms, with torrential rains causing floods that displaced hundreds of thousands of people.