The latest character in this season's cast of bad weather villains, a tropical storm by the name of Noel, is hovering near the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, according to a statement from the National Emergency Commission (CNE).

National meteorologists have reported that Noel is producing cloudy conditions along the Pacific coast, especially in the Southern Zone cantons of Corredores, Golfito and Osa.

Rainfall early yesterday morning caused flooding in these cantons and forced the commission to open a shelter in Ciudad Neilly to accommodate 26 people who had to evacuate their homes.

The commission has called for a yellow alert for the central Pacific and Southern Zone, as rain is expected to continue in these areas. In the Northern Pacific, rain is likely to remain steady and then diminish into partly cloudy skies.

The CNE has stationed emergency workers throughout the southern Osa Peninsula, the part of the country considered the most vulnerable because of strong winds.

The Caribbean remains under a green alert as rain in the mountains could cause rivers to rise, the statement said.

Over the weekend, CNE president Daniel Gallardo met with the mayors of cantons that suffered damage by recent flooding to discuss plans for repair work.

He asked them to write reports of their cantons' damages to prioritize rebuilding projects. This week, the commission will work on the five most crucial projects for each canton including cleaning up rivers, clearing roads and sewers and repairing bridges.

President Oscar Arias declared a state of emergency to free up funding earlier this month after flooding damaged infrastructure and homes in much of the country (TT, Oct. 19).

-Tico Times