It seemed there was literally a light at the end of the tunnel yesterday as the morning sun shined upon Costa Rica and the danger of communities drowning in floodwaters began to subside.

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) lifted all alerts in Costa Rica except for a yellow alert for the northwestern Guanacaste cantons of Carrillo, Cañas, Santa Cruz, Bagaces and Nicoya, according to a statement from the CNE.

Rain levels are returning to normal and people staying in shelters are beginning to return to their homes.

The CNE hopes to begin reconstruction in areas hardest hit by flooding once it receives the money it's scheduled to get from an emergency decree issued last week by President Oscar Arias (TT, Oct. 19).

Laura Chinchilla, acting President this week while Arias is in China, met Monday with 21 government institutions to urge them to transfer the ¢20 billion ($38.7 million) they owe the CNE.

This money will be used to repair roads and bridges washed away during floods and build homes for the 1,500 families whose houses were destroyed.