The Costa Rican Meteorological Institute (IMN) reported today the presence of Saharan Dust over the country, particularly visible over the mountain sector of the Central Valley.

Saharan Dust is transported through the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea by trade winds and is being registered across Central America.

“In large cumulus this dust ‘dehydrates’ the atmosphere, creating conditions like the country had today, in general with little or no rainfall. However, it can result in health problems, specially for those people with respiratory problems and allergies”, informed the IMN.

“The estimations done by satellite, the concentration of Saharan dust is in the range of 30-50 micro-grams per cubic meter. According to the World Health Organization the danger that this phenomenon represents resides in the content of bacteria, virus, spores, mercury and pesticides present in the dust which is picked up as it travels through deforested areas of North Africa, particularly sub-Saharan countries that are intensely affected by desertification”.

“In Costa Rica pneumologists affirm that the dust has an irritative effect and generates respiratory symptoms just as it occurs with volcanic ash”.

How long the Saharan Dust will affect the country will depend on factors such as winds’ speed and direction; however, experts forecast that it will start dissipating by Thursday, July 26.