A number of geographical and hydrological factors aggravated the consequences of hurricane Otto in Guayabo, Bagaces and Upala.
The fury of the cyclone, the first to hit Costa Rican territory, swept away thousands of homes and claimed 10 lives.
After several days, communities are still struggling to recover from the relentless effects of mud and water, which fell through rivers.
Lidier Esquivel, head of risk mitigation at the National Emergency Commission (CNE), emphasized some aspects that worsened the situation.
The expert assured that the proximity of El Guayacán resort, where four people died, to the mountainous Miravalles volcano and the proximity of Upala center with Zapote river, aggravated the situation.
In both places, powerful landslides of mud, water, logs and debris hit at high speed everything that was in their way.
As described by residents, it rained uninterruptedly for 5 hours. At about 9:00 pm landslides started. It is possible that the vulnerability of the terrain facilitated the detachment of material.
In addition, many houses were flooded by White river.
Regarding Upala, It rained copiously for several hours on Thursday night.
As admitted by Esquivel, the closeness of Zapote river was enough to have disastrous consequences.
This river borders all the center of the locality and it was responsible for leaving on the street hundreds of inhabitants.
Otto affected more than 1,400 houses and 10,800 people.