Heavy rains and floods continue to affect Central America as Tropical Storm Sara approaches, with 13 deaths reported and thousands evacuated.
Countries across Central America are facing crisis as ongoing heavy rainfall and floods that have already claimed 13 lives now coincide with the approach of a late-season tropical storm. Panama and Costa Rica are reeling from nearly two weeks of relentless rainfall, while Honduras and Belize brace for Tropical Storm Sara’s impact in what meteorologists describe as a historically unusual November weather event.
Infrastructure and Tourism Impact
In Costa Rica, Guanacaste International Airport in Liberia has suspended all operations for Friday, November 15, affecting 36 international flights. The closure stems from a combination of adverse weather conditions and urgent runway repairs. Airport authorities have advised passengers not to travel and to coordinate alternate arrangements with their airlines. The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT) explained that planned minor repairs couldn’t be completed due to persistent rainfall, forcing the closure on safety grounds.
The weather crisis has dealt a significant blow to Costa Rica’s tourism sector as the high season gets underway. The National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC-MINAE) has implemented widespread closures of national parks and protected areas. Los Quetzales National Park, Guayabo National Monument, and the Prusia sector of Irazú Volcano National Park are all closed but scheduled to reopen on November 18, along with several other locations including Corcovado National Park and the Caño Island Biological Reserve.
Several other major attractions face indefinite closures, including Manuel Antonio National Park, Carara National Park, and San Lucas Island National Park. The Tempisque Conservation Area also remains closed until weather conditions improve. The closures follow reports of significant damage, including fallen branches on trails, rising rivers, and landslides affecting access roads.
Emergency Response and Evacuations
Costa Rican authorities have evacuated 1,700 people from flood-prone areas as emergency teams respond to an overwhelming number of incidents. Of the 428 reported emergencies, 389 involved flooding and 39 were landslides, with the provinces of Puntarenas, Guanacaste, and Cartago bearing the brunt of the impact. The government has signed a national emergency decree, directing all state institutions to redirect their resources toward emergency response efforts through the National Emergency Commission.
In Panama, the situation has become increasingly dire over the past twelve days, with eleven confirmed deaths and damages exceeding $100 million. Minister of the Presidency Juan Carlos Orillac reported that more than 1,000 families have been directly affected by the floods. The crisis has led to extensive damage to over 600 homes, destruction of rice crops, and impacts on water treatment facilities. The country’s meteorological officials note that rainfall has already surpassed typical November levels, with more precipitation expected.
Approaching Tropical Storm
Meanwhile in the north of the region, Tropical Storm Sara is currently pounding northern Honduras with life-threatening rainfall as it moves toward Belize. The approaching system represents a historic anomaly – never in recorded history has Belize faced a tropical storm so late in November, according to Belize’s Chief Meteorological Officer Ronald Gordon.
“There is a wide cone of uncertainty extending from southern Belize virtually all the way up to northern Yucatan,” said Gordon. “The forecast is for it to stall north of Honduras for at least 24 to 36 hours, and then eventually begin moving to the northwest into our area.”
The storm’s most significant threat appears to be rainfall, with models predicting accumulations of “upwards of ten inches, possibly even higher across parts of Belize” over a five-day period. In response, Belize’s National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) has issued flood warnings for several major rivers.
Meanwhile, Honduras faces immediate danger from the system. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warns of “potentially catastrophic” flash floods and landslides, predicting rainfall of 10 to 20 inches, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 30 inches. The Honduran government has declared red alerts for the Bay Islands, Atlántida, Colón, and Gracias a Dios departments, with President Xiomara Castro announcing full activation of emergency response systems.
Critical Period Ahead
Foreign travelers and residents throughout Central America should remain vigilant as foreign embassies across issue travel warnings to their citizens amid the ongoing conditions. Heavy rains are forecast to continue throughout the region until the beginning of next week at the earliest.
