Highest tides in 200 years flood hundreds of homes on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast: new surges expected Wednesday afternoon, Thursday morning

(Archive image for illustrative purposes only)

September 30^th, 2015 (ICR News) What authorities are calling some of the highest tides seen in 200 years have flooded hundreds of homes on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast over the last 24 hours, and authorities warn that new surges are coming.

The highest tide so far – measuring 11.5 feet – came at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The high tides are believed to have flooded some 300 homes since Tuesday morning, mostly in central Puntarenas as well as Osa and some areas of Golfito.

Some businesses and schools have also been flooded, though no deaths or injuries have been reported.

Authorities said the unusually high tides are the result of a lunar and solar cycle that occurs once every 18.65 years, bringing the moon’s minor axis nearest to Earth as the Earth makes its closest pass to the Sun as part of its orbit.

And the phenomenon is not over.  A high tide, estimated to be about 10 feet, is scheduled to hit the shores at 4:13 p.m. on Wednesday, and another of about 11 feet should hit shores at 4:30 a.m. on Thursday.  Both surges are expected to cause additional flooding.  Authorities are warning residents of the entire Pacific coast to be cautious.