The U.S. Embassy issued a security alert in relation to the first national evacuation drill in case of an earthquake or emergency that will take place on Monday, August 19, at 10 a.m., this event is organized by the Costa Rican National Emergency Commission

“The organization expects more than a million people across the country to participate in the event. Government offices, businesses, schools and various other institutions will practice their evacuation plan so that people are prepared to act in case of a real emergency”, explains the press release.

Actions to Take: Road closures and large crowds are expected in the downtown San Jose area during the simulation. The Embassy strongly advises people to avoid the downtown San Jose area from 9:30 AM until 11:30 AM. The Embassy further advises that the scale of the exercise may result in residual disruptions to traffic and emergency services in the San Jose metropolitan area.

If you require assistance contact the U.S. Embassy on phone number +506 2519 2000 (after hours as well), or email: [email protected]