On 27 August, Tamarindo and Sámara (Costa Rica) officially received the Tsunami Ready recognition by the President of the National Emergency Commission (CNE) Alexander Solís and Dr Silvia Chacón, Head of the SINAMOT Programme of Costa Rica's National University.
These communities completed the Tsunami Ready requirements set by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission on February 2021, joining Ostional and El Coco as Tsunami Ready communities in the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
All communities share both the risk of tsunami hazard and tourism activities in connection with nature as the main economic driver.
In Tamarindo, the touristic sector, grouped around the Integral Development Association (Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de Tamarindo, ADI-Tamarindo), took a very active role during the process of Tsunami Ready recognition. They organized their staff, led the evacuation plan development, installed evacuation route signs, created a English/Spanish video for tourists, and organized the tsunami exercise. Due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, Tamarindo performed online rather than presential tabletop exercises on September 2020 and August 2021.
In Sámara, all neighborhoods participated, created their own warning dissemination system, and supported the deployment of the tsunami evacuation signs donated by the International Migration Organization (IMO). Sámara Elementary School performed a tsunami evacuation drill as part of the National Earthquake Drill in 2019. The Communal Emergency Committee (CCE) held a tabletop drill during the National Earthquake Drill in 2021.
Both communities should be proud of their achievement in putting the safety of their citizens and property first, ensuring wide and inclusive preparedness against the risk of tsunamis.
