MAGNITUDE 6.2 EARTHQUAKE, COSTA RICA

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000010

DEPARTMENT FOR USAID/OFDA: ROB THAYER, JAMES KESSINGER

AIDAC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PGOV AEMR ASEC PHUM SEVN KFLO CS

SUBJECT: MAGNITUDE 6.2 EARTHQUAKE, COSTA RICA


1. AS A RESULT OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY A MAGNITUDE 6.2 EARTHQUAKE THAT
OCCURRED AT 13:21 ON JANUARY 8, 2009, THE CHIEF OF MISSION HAS
DETERMINED THAT THE DISASTER IS OF SUFFICIENT MAGNITUDE TO WARRANT
USG ASSISTANCE, AND THAT PROVIDING ASSISTANCE IS IN THE BEST
INTEREST OF THE USG. THE SITUATION HAS EXCEEDED THE EFFECTIVE
RESPONSE CAPACITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF COSTA RICA, AND ASSISTANCE
WAS REQUESTED BY THE COUNTRY'S PRESIDENT IN A DIRECT CONVERSATION
WITH THE COM. THUS, THE COM IS EXERCISING HIS DISASTER ASSISTANCE
AUTHORITY.


2. THE QUAKE'S EPICENTER WAS SOME 20 MILES NW OF SAN JOSE, IN THE
VICINITY OF THE POAS VOLCANO. THIS QUAKE OCCURRED AT A DEPTH OF
APPROXIMATELY 28 KILOMETERS. THE EARTHQUAKE AFFECTED THE CENTRAL
VALLEY. THERE WERE REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IN AND AROUND THE
CITIES OF HEREDIA AND ALAJUELA, WITH AN AS YET UNDETERMINED NUMBER
OF HOMES AND OTHER BUILDINGS DAMAGED, INCLUDING THE MUNICIPAL
BUILDING IN ALAJUELA. RESPONSE EFFORTS ARE CENTERED ON THE AREA OF
VARA BLANCA, WHICH IS LOCATED BETWEEN THE POAS AND BARVA VOLCANOES.
FROM VARA BLANCA TO THE NORTH, ALONG THE SARAPIQUI RIVER, THERE
HAVE BEEN A LARGE NUMBER OF LANDSLIDES, WHICH ARE HAMPERING
ASSISTANCE EFFORTS. THERE ARE REPORTS OF PEOPLE HAVING BEEN INJURED
BY LANDSLIDES IN THIS CORRIDOR.


3. BASED ON REPORTS FROM THE COSTA RICA RED CROSS, 2,377 PEOPLE WERE
DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE QUAKE, WITH 1,078 BEING HOUSED IN TEMPORARY
ACCOMMODATIONS. FOUR DEATHS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED, ALTHOUGH LOCAL
MEDIA ARE CURRENTLY REPORTING 13 DEATHS. AN ADDITIONAL 14 PERSONS
ARE MISSING.


4. SINCE ROAD ACCESS IS BLOCKED, THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY COMMISSION
(CNE) HAS ESTABLISHED AN AIR BRIDGE TO EVACUATE INJURED AND ISOLATED
PEOPLE. AS OF LATE ON 9 JANUARY, AN ESTIMATED 600 PEOPLE WERE
INACCESSIBLE IN A 16 KM. STRETCH OF OBSTRUCTED AND/OR DESTROYED
MOUNTAIN ROAD. THE REGION HAS SUFFERED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF
LARGE LANDSLIDES, AND WITH AFTERSHOCKS CONTINUING, ADDITIONAL SLIDES
ARE POSSIBLE. THUS, PROMPT EVACUATION IS ESSENTIAL.


5. THE AMBASSADOR'S AUTHORITY OF $50,000 WILL BE USED BY POST TO PAY
FOR RENTAL OF HELICOPTERS TO AUGMENT THE CAPACITY BEING DEPLOYED BY
THE CNE. THIS AIR SUPPORT WILL BE USED TO EVACUATE INJURED AND
ISOLATED PEOPLE FROM THE DISASTER ZONE AND MOVE THEM TO SAFETY.


6. THE CENTRAL VALLEY IS UNDER A GOCR-DECLARED RED ALERT. PRESIDENT
ARIAS SPOKE WITH THE COM AND SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED ASSISTANCE WITH
THE AIR OPERATIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE.


7. USAID/OFDA CONTINUES TO COORDINATE WITH THE CNE. POST WILL
ADVISE IF OTHER HUMANITARIAN GAPS ARE IDENTIFIED AND REQUEST
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AS APPROPRIATE.

CIANCHETTE