After a long period of heavy rains over the last couple of weeks, the Caribbean side of Costa Rica experienced horrible flooding. The worst flooding occurred in Sixaola and on the Talamanca Indigenous reservation. According to our friends who live there, this is the worst flooding the area has experienced in at least 30 years.
Many people are left homeless and without potable water. Initially there were nearly 50 shelters open and full of people. Many people have since returned home, however there are more than 1,200 people living in the eighteen shelters which still remain open. Some areas are still impossible to reach, such as Amubri, Besta and parts of Talamanca. So the US Army has been present with helicopters, dropping US AID boxes of supplies and
food to people from the sky.
The Costa Rica National Emergency Commission (Comision Nacional de Emergencias) estimates that there has been $77 million in damage to crops, roads and community buildings such as schools and clinics. Because nearly all the banana / plantain crops were destroyed, the indigenous people whose livelihood depends on these crops are in serious financial trouble. Nothing can be replanted for at least a year. That means these folks won't have an income for at least 18 more months.
Tropical Adventures staff responded to the crisis by delivering supplies, clothes and food this Thanksgiving
weekend to the community of Bambu, where we have 3 projects. The damage was quite shocking. We only hope we can continue to support the people who really need help right now. As we get more donations, we'll continue to provide support.
Anyone interested in donating can visit our donations page. If you are visiting Costa Rica soon, please contact us for information about the kinds of supplies which are needed. More pictures of our trip can be seen at our photo gallery – we will upload videos soon.
Thank you all for your continued support!
Scott Pralinsky, Executive Director
Roberto’s Trip to Help Indigenous People in Costa Rica
Having employees that are dedicated to the cause is a great asset for Tropical Adventures. On a separate endeavor aside from his work at Tropical Adventures, our Project Coordinator, Roberto Guzman, has in his free time organized a trip with friends to donate toys, school supplies, food and toiletries to a remote community in the Talamanca Indigenous area this weekend.
The people in this community lack basic everyday items and he will be making a special trip to donate supplies to the elderly people, children and 13 families. It is not known at the moment whether they have been affected by last week’s floods, but this great act of generosity by Roberto and many of his friends will benefit this community greatly – well done Roberto!