Costa Rica Earthquake – 23rd April 1991

Relief assessments and medivac operations were also undertaken by the team whilst being deployed, using the Nicaraguan helicopters, which in turn came under UN control.

Due to the teams’ involvement in the field assessment, the Costa Ricans requested that IRC leave a contingent of 4 members to complete the task which also covered logistics and distribution.

It was clear very soon after our arrival at Limon that rescue work would be minimal, although we could assist in other ways:-

The mainstay of the air support at the outset was provided by the Nicaraguan Air Force. The team was helicoptered directly into the airport at Limon. Base camp was established at Limon Airport and within 10 minutes of arrival 2 teams were deployed to two different sites that were identified by the emergency committee. The first site was La-Bamba (landslide) and the second was the International Hotel in Limon.

Teams of four members were sent to each location and worked for many hours at each site. The remaining members set up Base Camp and established a satellite communications system and contact made with IRC operational headquarters.

Any vital information could be transmitted using either the telephone, telex or facsimile facilities available on the Sat.Comm. The facility was also made available to and was used by the Costa Ricans, the United Nations representative in the location, representatives from the Swiss Dog Team and the local Red Cross.

At the International Hotel in Limon it was reported that one person was missing within the collapsed hotel. The team established that the man was dead and assisted in the recovery of the body.

At La Bamba it was found that there had been a landslide just outside the village and that one lady and two children were buried under the slip. It was established that they had not survived and the local population was advised that, due to the danger of further slippage, no further work should be carried out until a full civil engineering project could be mounted. This advice was proved to be correct when twenty four hours later a further landslide occurred.