- Title: Costa Ricans evacuate coastal areas as hurricane Otto approaches
- Date: 23rd November 2016
- Summary: BOCA DE PARISMINA, COSTA RICA (NOVEMBER 22, 2016) (REUTERS) FLOODED STREET PEOPLE GETTING OFF BOAT INTO FLOODED STREETS WITH THEIR BELONGINGS MAN CARRYING A DOG AND SOME OF HIS BELONGINGS THROUGH FLOODED STREET VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERING TOGETHER / FLOODED STREETS PEOPLE GETTING INTO A VAN TO EVACUATE AREA MAN CARRYING A WOMAN ON HIS BACK THROUGH FLOODED STREET PEOPLE BOARDING A BUS TO EVACUATE AREA PEOPLE WAITING IN RESTAURANT TO BE EVACUATED SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA (NOVEMBER 22, 2016) (REUTERS) COSTA RICAN PRESIDENT, LUIS GUILLERMO SOLIS, ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COSTA RICAN PRESIDENT, LUIS GUILLERMO SOLIS, SAYING: "(There will be) floods. I mean to say there will be a lot of rain in areas that are already saturated and therefore there will be flooding and torrential rain for at least 48 hours before and after (the storm's landing)." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COSTA RICAN PRESIDENT, LUIS GUILLERMO SOLIS, SAYING: "We will be confronting wind up to 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour) n some areas where nobody should be out. I think everyone should know that." GENERAL OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIRECTOR OF COSTA RICA'S METEOROLOGY INSTITUTE, JUAN CARLOS FALLAS, SAYING: "Depending on the path in the coming hours, the system moves even faster, we could be seeing its effects by Wednesday (November 23) night."
- Embargoed: 8th December 2016 04:18
- Keywords: Costa Rica Central America Luis Guillermo Solis hurricane Otto
- Location: BOCA DE PARISMINA, SAN JOSE AND BARRA DEL PACUARE, COSTA RICA
- City: BOCA DE PARISMINA, SAN JOSE AND BARRA DEL PACUARE, COSTA RICA
- Country: Costa Rica
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Wind/Hurricane/Typhoons/Tornadoes
- Reuters ID: LVA00159NYGQR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Costa Rica was preparing for the worst as hurricane Otto barreled down on Central America.
Otto became a hurricane off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua on Tuesday (November 22), the U.S.-based National Hurricane Center said, with additional strengthening expected over the next couple of days.
Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis has urged thousands of residents on the country's Caribbean coast to heed government warnings to move inland before it's too late.
He said torrential rain was expected to cause flooding in some areas that were already seeing water levels inch up and that winds of up to 75 miles per hour (120 km/h) could rip through coastal regions.
"(There will be) floods. I mean to say there will be a lot of rain in areas that are already saturated and therefore there will be flooding and torrential rain for at least 48 hours before and after (the storm's landing)," Solis said.
"We will be confronting wind up to 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour) n some areas where nobody should be out. I think everyone should know that," he added.
Hundreds of officers and rescue workers are stationed in high-risk areas to facilitate a complete evacuation, and safeguard communities from looting or vandalism.
The storm is currently located east of Costa Rica and Nicaragua and is moving westward direction.
The hurricane is expected to make landfall on Thursday (November 24), but the head of the Costa Rica's meteorology institute, Juan Carlos Fallas, said it could land as early as Wednesday evening (November 23).
"Depending on the path in the coming hours, the system moves even faster, we could be seeing its effects by Wednesday (November 23) night."
The U.S. National Hurricane Center warns Otto could strengthen over the next few days... and until then residents must brace for the storm. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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