Powerful Earthquake Rocks Costa Rica

A powerful earthquake rocked Costa Rica on Sept. 5, killing at least two people, sparking landslides, knocking down buildings, and briefly triggering a tsunami warning.
Damage to the walls of Hospital Monsenor Sanabria are seen following an earthquake in Puntarenas, north of San Jose, September 5, 2012. A powerful earthquake rocked Costa Rica on Wednesday, killing at least two people, sparking landslides, knocking down buildings, and briefly triggering a tsunami warning. Residents of the capital San Jose said phones went down, electricity poles rattled on the streets and water flowed out of swimming pools after the 7.6-magnitude quake.


A patient is evacuated from Hospital Monsenor Sanabria following an earthquake in Puntarenas, the north of San Jose September 5, 2012. A 7.6 magnitude earthquake rocked Costa Rica on Wednesday, killing at least two people, sparking landslides, knocking down buildings, and briefly triggering a tsunami warning.



Nurses receive instructions after being evacuated from Hospital Monsenor Sanabria following an earthquake in Puntarenas, north of San Jose, September 5, 2012. A 7.6 magnitude earthquake rocked Costa Rica on Wednesday, killing at least two people, sparking landslides, knocking down buildings, and briefly triggering a tsunami warning.







A patient is evacuated from Hospital Monsenor Sanabria following an earthquake in Puntarenas, north of San Jose, September 5, 2012. A powerful earthquake rocked Costa Rica on Wednesday, killing at least two people, sparking landslides, knocking down buildings, and briefly triggering a tsunami warning. Residents of the capital San Jose said phones went down, electricity poles rattled on the streets and water flowed out of swimming pools after the 7.6-magnitude quake
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Caribbean-Wide Tsunami Watch Message 9/5/12

A CARIBBEAN-WIDE TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR COSTA RICA

A 7.9-magnitude earthquake has struck the coast of Costa Rica, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Liberia. - Caribbean-wide tsunami watch issued after 7.9 quake strikes Costa Rica.

A TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR

BRAZIL / BARBADOS / TRINIDAD TOBAGO / FRENCH GUIANA /
SAINT LUCIA / MARTINIQUE / ST VINCENT / DOMINICA / BARBUDA /
GUADELOUPE / MONTSERRAT / ANTIGUA / SAINT KITTS / ANGUILLA /
GRENADA / SAINT MARTIN / SAINT MAARTEN / DOMINICAN REP /
TURKS N CAICOS / BONAIRE / CURACAO / BAHAMAS / VENEZUELA /
HAITI / BERMUDA / SURINAME / ARUBA / CUBA / GUYANA / COLOMBIA /
JAMAICA / GRAND CAYMAN / CAYMAN BRAC / PANAMA / MEXICO /
HONDURAS / COSTA RICA / BELIZE / NICARAGUA / GUATEMALA

THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.  ONLY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

ORIGIN TIME -  1442Z 05 SEP 2012
COORDINATES -   9.9 NORTH   85.5 WEST 
LOCATION    -  OFF COAST OF COSTA RICA
MAGNITUDE   -  7.9

Costa Rica Struck by MAGNITUDE 7.5 EARTHQUAKE 05/9/12

EARTHQUAKE: Magnitude 7.9 COSTA RICA 05/09/2012 14:42 (UTC)

A 7.9-magnitude earthquake has struck the coast of Costa Rica, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Liberia. ... Sep 5, 2012 ... PUNTA_MALA 7.5N 280.0E 1615Z 05 SEP

Magnitude 7.9 05/09/2012 14:42 COSTA RICA

These parameters are preliminary and subject to revisions.

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake has occurred COSTA RICA at:
10.19N 85.24W Depth 48km 05/09/2012 at 14:42:11 (Universal Time)

Earthquake location with respect to nearby cities:
1144 km W Barranquilla (pop 1380425, local time 09:42:11.7 2012-09-05)
25 km E Nicoya (pop 15313, local time 08:42:11.7 2012-09-05)
18 km NW Nandayure (pop 1649, local time 08:42:11.7 2012-09-05)
130 km W San josé (pop 335007, local time 08:42:11.7 2012-09-05)

Costa Rica Tours 10Days for $995.00

Day 1 – San José, Costa Rica Welcome to the “rich coast,” friendly land of democracy and rare natural beauty. With naturalist guides, see exotic birds and wildlife, hike in jungle rainforests, view volcanoes, soak in hot springs and cruise through biological reserves. Relax on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Caravan provides transfers from the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San José, Costa Rica to your hotel for a two night stay. Rooms are available for check in after 4:00 p.m. Dine at your hotel, then join Caravan for a 8:00 p.m. welcome briefing. D

Day 2 – Poás Volcano, Cloud Forest
This morning, enjoy a drive through Costa Rica’s famous coffee growing region. Next, visit Poás Volcano. Weather permitting, you can see inside the active crater from an overlook. Next, hike the Escalonia Cloud Forest Trail, home to epiphytes, orchids, ferns and tropical hummingbirds. Cloud forests are like rainforests, but with less rain and more humidity. Lunch. Next, visit Cafe Brit, a coffee plantation nestled in Barva de Heredia, on the slopes of the extinct Barva Volcano. Enjoy a guided tour and sample fresh Costa Rican coffee.  Dinner. BLD

Day 3 – Butterfly Garden, Tortuguero Park
This morning drive by San Jose's Plaza de la Cultura, Central Park and the National Theatre. Next,  pass through Braulio Carrillo Park. Look for cascading waterfalls. Visit a butterfly garden. Enjoy lunch. Drive by a banana plantation. Then, cruise through rivers and canals to the 47,000 acre Tortuguero National Park. Tortuguero is home to more than 300 species of birds. Look for toucans, parrots, kingfishers and the rare green macaw. Free time to enjoy the swimming pool and tropical flower gardens at your lodge. Listen to joyful jungle sounds. Enjoy a two night stay at your lodge. Dinner. BLD

Day 4 – Tortuguero Park, Canal Cruise
Cruise this morning with naturalist guides along canals lined by raffia palm, the habitat of howler and white-faced monkeys, green iguanas and tropical birds. Look for white and snowy egrets and the amazing nests of the montezuma oropendola. Then, enter the mysterious reflecting waters of Caño Palma wildlife reserve. Next, visit the Green Turtle Research Station. Learn about efforts to protect the turtles. Walk along the Atlantic turtle nesting beaches with a naturalist guide. Next, to Tortuguero village. Meet Costa Rican school children on your visit to a local school (when in session). Return to your lodge for lunch. Enjoy an afternoon boat excursion into Tortuguero Park. Look for otters, turtles and manatees. Dinner. BLD

Day 5 – Pineapple Tour, Fortuna
Morning cruise on Tortuguero River. Enjoy lunch. Visit a pineapple plantation. Sample Costa Rica’s famous sweet organic pineapples. Next, through scenic countryside to the San Carlos Valley for a two night stay in Fortuna. Dinner.BLD

Day 6 – Caño Negro, Hot Springs, Arenal
Head north this morning, passing through sugar cane, teak and orange plantations. Then, cruise on the Rio Frio which runs through the world famous Caño Negro wildlife refuge, home to many migratory birds found nowhere else in Costa Rica. Look for whistling ducks, roseate spoonbills, cormorants, anhingas, blue heron, and northern jacanas. Watch for caimans, crocodiles, spider monkeys, and web-footed, water-walking lizards. Lunch. Return to Fortuna. Then, enjoy a relaxing soak in the volcanic hot springs. Weather permitting, see nearby majestic Arenal Volcano. Enjoy dinner. BLD

Day 7 – Hanging Bridges, Guanacaste
This morning enjoy an unforgettable adventure in the heart of the rainforest at the Hanging Bridges, rated one of Costa Rica’s top tourist attractions. Hike on six suspension bridges, through lush tropical rainforest canopy. Enjoy views of a waterfall and look for tropical birds. Later, a scenic drive around Lake Arenal. Enjoy lunch. Next, enter the Guanacaste province. Drive through the only tropical dry forest in Costa Rica. Stop in Liberia. Then, to Costa Rica’s beautiful Pacific Coast for a two night stay. Dinner is at your resort. BLD

Day 8 – Pacific Coast, Guanacaste
Whole day at leisure to enjoy your magnificent beach resort. Swim in your hotel's infinity pool, the largest in Central America, indulge yourself in the world class spa or just simply relax. Lunch. Enjoy a carefree afternoon. Time to beachcomb or stroll the pristine beaches of your resort. Dinner. BLD

Day 9 – Tarcoles Cruise, San José
Morning drive through the cattle ranches of Guanacaste. Lunch. Next, enjoy a bird and crocodile spotting cruise on the Tarcoles River, adjacent to the Carara Biological Reserve. Cruise through a mangrove reserve. This tropical bird and wildlife sanctuary is a nesting site for the scarlet macaw. Return to San José. Farewell dinner. BLD

Day 10 – San José
Your tour ends after breakfast this morning at your hotel. Breakfast begins at 6:30 a.m. Caravan provides transfers to the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San José, Costa Rica arriving at 5:00 a.m, 7:00 a.m, 9:00 a.m., and 11:30 a.m.


10 Days Costa Rica Touring $995. Book Your Vacation Here

Heredia And Cartago Tour

If you are staying in San Jose and want to venture out a bit to visit some of the more quaint towns nearby, you may want to go to the historical towns of Heredia and Cartago as well as visit the gateway town of La Fortuna, which offers access to the Arenal Volcano. Easily accessible by taxi, car, and bus from many points in San Jose, these neighboring towns offer a tourist a chance to become immersed in the local culture, to meet many friendly townsfolk, and to experience a bit of natural life away from the hustle and bustle of the city. When you visit both towns, you are immediately struck by the strong influence of the Catholic Church on the area. This is especially prevalent in Cartago inside the Our Lady of the Angels Basilica. This church is dedicated to the patron saint of Costa Rica, Our Lady of the Angels and offers the visitor a glimpse into a very tranquil sanctuary. The church is also home to many beautiful displays of religious statues, carvings, and art. If you are lucky to be in town during the Christmas season, you may also be able to partake in a town parade that features floats, music, marionettes decorated with Christmas attire, and evening fireworks. It seems as if the whole town comes alive during these celebrations, which also draw people from other towns and local villages who come to enjoy the festive mood and good will offered. In Heredia, a religious undertone can be felt in one of the open-air concerts often held here. Whether you are religious or not, it is a spiritual experience to listen to a gospel concert performed live here. Attending this type of concert, you can feel the interest emanated by the crowd as people gather to contemplate the music as well as the day in general. No place for worrying about the day's troubles, you can get a sense of peacefulness and calm here as you mingle with the crowds who often attend these festivities dressed in their Sunday best.

Cartago Easter Parade

Costa Rica Cultural Festivals around Costa Rica: Cultural Festivals: Santa Cruz, Alajuelita, Puntarenas, San Jose, Escazu, Cartago, Alajuela, Limon and more

Cultural Festivals:

Catholicism is the main religious denomination in Costa Rica and it reflects in the celebrations. Typical "fiestas" take place country-wide all year long. Whether celebrating a Patron Saint's day or a national holiday, these fiestas generally feature lots of good food, music, rides, "topes" (horse parades), and Tico-style bullfights (the bull is teased, but not harmed).Día de los Trabajadores—Labor Day. Parades, marches and the Presidential "state of the union" address to Congress and the people. Cricket matches are a highlight in Puerto Limón.
Fiesta Pattronale Desamparados—Street fair with music, dancing, traditional food and toro a la Tica (bullfights without the bloodshed)
Día de San Isidro Labrador—Escazú and San Isidros all over Costa Rica hold street fairs and parades with music, dancing, traditional food, honoring the patron saint of farmers with blessings of animals and crops.
Fiestas Pattronales San Marcos de Tarrazu, and Coronado—Street fair with music, dancing, traditional food and toro a la Tica (bullfights without the bloodshed)

Easter in Costa Rica (Semana Santa)

Visitors to Costa Rica during Semana Santa (Holy Week or Easter) should expect to share their vacation with Costa Rican holiday-makers, as this is traditionally vacation week for families here. Schools and many public institutions will be closed for the whole week, while businesses unconnected to tourism close on the Thursday and Friday. You should expect a marked increase in traffic on the roads from Wednesday afternoon and especially from early on Thursday leaving the capital for the long weekend and equally congested roads on the following Sunday, as families return to San Jose and the Central Valley to re-start normality on the Monday. If you do not have to travel on these days, then don’t and if you do, be prepared to wait in lines or to move slowly in your chosen direction. Take plenty of provisions too!

If you do want to holiday at the beach – book in advance! During this time of year it is notoriously difficult to find a hotel room at short notice and extra to pay high season prices. While this may seem off-putting, many visitors enjoy their Semana Santa vacation as a chance to socialize with locals and other tourists, as the imposition of the ‘Dry Law’ sends most people back to hotels early in the evening to sup stored supplies and share tales with fellow travelers. You can expect Costa Rican families to come prepared to entertain large families; some even carry a karaoke machine to pass the time!

As residents of the capital leave in droves for the beach, many visitors take advantage of the peace and quiet to explore this part of the country. Although museums and galleries are closed during this period, hotels and restaurants will not be crowded and discounts are a possibility. Tourist attractions, such as Heredia’s InBio Parque, the Serpentarium or Zoo Ave can all be enjoyed without the usual mass of other people.

The Central Valley is the place to be for visitors who want to see traditional Easter celebrations. Many towns hold their own parades with re-enactments of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and holy statues, gaudily decorated and brought out to the streets. The small town of San Joaquin de Flores in Heredia is well-known for its colorful and elaborate Good Friday parade which involves much of the town costumed, drawing many tourists. It is worth going if only to see the Jack-in-a-Box style Jesus on the cross which is used to show the before, during and after of the crucifixion!

Another useful piece of advice for Easter travelers is to prepare for the period of the Ley Seca (Dry Law). Costa Rica, like its neighboring Catholic countries, imposes a prohibition from midnight on the Wednesday of Holy Week until midnight on the Friday. During this period no alcohol can be legally sold, bars are closed and restaurants can only serve soft drinks with meals. If you feel inclined to still sip an Imperial on Good Friday, just make sure to have bought supplies in advance, like many Costa Ricans. Certainly drinking alcohol isn’t illegal!