Tropical Storm Bonnie hits Nicaragua and Costa Rica

Central America. The impact of Tropical Storm Bonnie comes two years after two hurricanes hit the Caribbean region of Central America, causing millions of dollars in damage and human lives.

Tropical Storm Boni crossed Nicaragua on Saturday and was advancing over the Pacific Ocean to the northwest, leaving in its wake some fallen trees and split roofs from homes in the south of the country, but without causing casualties or major damage.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC, for its English acronym based in Miami) reported that Ain Boni made landfall Friday night in a section of the border with Costa Rica. Saturday morning, the meteor eye was in the sea, about 100 kilometers south of the capital of Nicaragua, with winds of 65 kilometers per hour and stronger storms.

In the province of Rivas in Nicaragua, neighbors have reported falling trees and minor damage to homes. The government of President Daniel Ortega issued a decree on a yellow alert on Friday throughout the national territory. There were no reports of deaths or missing persons from the storm.

#Nicaragua This is how Cardenas woke up after suffering the ravages of Tropical Storm Bonnie pic.twitter.com/HVqSI1ydyP

– The 19 Digital (@el19digital) on July 2, 2022

Bonnie is expected to move into the Pacific Ocean on Saturday and then begin to intensify, possibly reaching hurricane strength on Monday.

State media El 19 Digital, of Nicaragua, reported that brigades were touring affected sites to “illustrate the damage,” but did not provide further details.

Residents of Bluefields, on the Atlantic coast, reported temporary outages in drinking water service in some coastal neighborhoods, but no major damage or flooding was reported and the sun fell again Saturday morning.

NHC reports Boni will continue to get heavy rain Saturday in some areas of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It will advance parallel to the coasts of El Salvador, Guatemala and southern Mexico through Tuesday.

Likewise, the storm is expected to intensify over the next 48 hours and then turn into a hurricane.

Costa Rica’s National Commission for Risk Prevention and Emergency Attention stated on its Twitter account that 3,536 people have been transferred to 54 shelters as part of prevention due to Boni’s advance.

The governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica have suspended tropical storm warnings and warnings for the Caribbean coast.

Many of the 57,000 residents of Bluefields have begun installing their windows in preparation for the storm. Many Nicaraguans still remember Hurricane Juan, which caused extensive damage to the Atlantic coast in 1988 and left nearly 150 people dead.

“We’re already waiting for the impact of the storm, and we’re praying it doesn’t destroy our area,” Ricardo Gomez, who was 8 when Joan passed, told the Associated Press.

The region was also hit in a short time by the powerful hurricanes Iota and Eta, in 2020, causing damage estimated at 700 million dollars.

Concern in Costa Rica, lessons have been canceled

Costa Rica’s National Risk Prevention and Emergency Attention Commission reported Saturday that the Emergency Operations Center is holding a virtual working session ahead of time with agency officials still in the territories.

Costa Rica has set up seven shelters for about 700 people displaced by floods, and there are fears the storm could cause landslides and flooding in an area that has seen heavy rains in recent days.

Actions include evacuating people, defining shelters, providing warehouses with equipment, foams, and blankets, and reviewing danger areas, among others, with a view to being prepared for expected rain and strong winds. pic.twitter.com/PD1GmTDr93

– CNE Costa Rica (@CNECostaRica) July 1, 2022

Media reported that a major landslide brought traffic to a standstill a week ago on the main highway that connects the capital, San Jose, to the Caribbean coast, and remains closed as of Friday. The government canceled classes across the country.

Heavy rains also destroyed or damaged several bridges.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for San Andres Island in Colombia, and from Cabo Blanco in Costa Rica north to Puerto Sandino in Nicaragua.

The US National Hurricane Center predicts Bonnie will re-emerge in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, where it could gain intensity as it moves across the sea roughly parallel to the coast over the following days.

The rain started on Monday, but by meteorological standards, it wasn’t classified as a Tropical Storm Bonny until Friday.

Source: Voice of America.