Costa Rica's Caribbean coast besieged

[GetOffTheShip!]

In case you haven't heard, Costa Rica has suffered from some horrendous flooding in the later half of November.

 

Landslides blocked the road between Limon and San Jose, which will likely affect excursions to the Capitol City and perhaps the whitewater adventures. A bridge collapsed in Playa Negra, which provides access to Puerto Viejo de Limón. The total rainfall from this storm alone so far reached over 1.5 meters by the end of November, over four times the month's average of 0.37 meters. Internet service was down for a week and power has been out at times, even in the port cities of Puerto Viejo and Cahuito.

 

Sadly, December may see some extended recovery.

 

Background material can be found at:

 

• Alert Costa Rica – 28 November 2008: Costa Rica Caribbean coast in state of emergency
  
• Costa Rica residents return to their homes as rains subside
  
• Costa Rica Caribbean: Better Weather Conditions But Rising Evacuee Numbers
  
• Flooding leaves 46,000 people homeless in Costa Rica
  

Anyone get first-hand information on how this has affected cruise ship arrivals at Costa Rica's port on the Caribbean so far? Any news of cruise lines changing itineraries in December '08 and beyond??

[Grego]

Hopefully they will be working extra hard to get things back to normal before the serious tour season begins.