VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #0028/01 0201844
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 201844Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0418
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUMIAGH/COMJTF-B SIMS SOTO CANO HO
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000028 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN AND WHA/PPC, ALSO DEPT FOR USAID/OFDA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MASS PGOV SOCI PHUM CS
SUBJECT: NOVEMBER'S MASSIVE FLOODING IN LIMON PROVINCE 
 
REF: A. SAN JOSE 0023 
     ¶B. 08 SAN JOSE 928 (NOTAL) 
     ¶C. 08 SAN JOSE 800 
     ¶D. 08 SAN JOSE 197 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY.  At the end of Costa Rica's rainy season late 
last November, a stationary storm caused massive flooding in 
Limon province.  The Ambassador authorized his $50,000 
disaster assistance authority (Ref B) and Joint Task Force 
Bravo (JTF-B) helicopter assets were deployed to assist both 
Costa Rica and Panama.  JTF-B medevac'd 17 victims from, and 
delivered over 294,000 pounds of supplies to communities on 
both sides of the border.  The U.S. Navy also participated, 
with the helicopter from the USS Roberts conducting damage 
assessment flights.  In Costa Rica alone, nearly 56,000 
people in 57 communities across three provinces were 
affected, with a number of roads and bridges washed out. 
This JTF-B deployment, only one month prior to the January 
2009 earthquake relief effort, continued a busy year of JTF-B 
deployments to Costa Rica.  END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
IN LIMON PROVINCE OVER THANKSGIVING, IT WAS FLOODS . . . 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶2. (U) JTF-Bravo's return to Costa Rica in January for 
earthquake assistance (Ref A) followed up their important and 
successful deployment to provide flood relief in the 
Caribbean border area with Panama in late November. 
Following the GOCR's disaster declaration on November 26, the 
Ambassador followed suit (Ref B) authorizing $50,000 to be 
used to cover local transportation costs and to provide 
relief supplies.  On November 28, a USAID-chartered flight 
delivered over 34 tons of equipment including chain saws, 
blankets, plastic sheeting, cans for water and hygiene kits, 
and JTF-B helicopters arrived and set up regional operations 
for Costa Rica and Panama from the Limon airport.  Working 
closely with local counterparts, Embassy personnel (U.S. and 
LES) helped staff the make-shift operations center 
established there, and deployed to the two remote landing 
zones in the area. 
 
¶3. (U) Over a week-long operation, and despite the continued 
heavy rain and low clouds, the 68 personnel and seven 
helicopters deployed from Honduras supported or flew 92 
missions (49 in Costa Rica and 43 in Panama) totaling over 
150 hours of flight time.  They medevac'd 17 victims from, 
and delivered over 294,000 pounds of supplies to, communities 
on both sides of the border.  The U.S. Navy was also 
involved, diverting the frigate USS Roberts so its helicopter 
could conduct damage assessment flights on November 27.  In 
Costa Rica alone, nearly 56,000 people in 57 communities 
across three provinces were affected, with a number of roads 
and bridges washed out.  Damage to the regional banana crop 
alone was estimated at over USD 20 million.  The total value 
of USG civilian and military assistance exceeded USD 1.5 
million. 
 
¶4. (U) All major media covered the arrival of the JTF-B 
Blackhawk helicopters along with the subsequent delivery of 
humanitarian aid.  Television coverage highlighted USG 
assistance to those in need, showing cargo being unloaded and 
featured Vice Minister of Public Security Jose Torres 
thanking the American people and the USG for their assistance. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
. . . . BUT OFFICIAL THANKS WAS SLOW IN COMING 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶5. (U) The residents of the Limon area enthusiastically 
welcomed JTF-B, even asking to have their pictures taken with 
uniformed U.S. military personnel, who were "more important 
than President (Arias)" at that moment, according to one 
local.  When not conducting relief efforts, JTF-B and Embassy 
Office of Defense Representative (ODR) personnel visited with 
local school children, whose school had loaned a blackboard 
to equip the rudimentary Limon airport "ops center."  Media 
coverage of USG efforts was extensive and positive. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Official recognition of the USG efforts in Limon was 
slower in coming, however.  On December 3, the MFA issued a 
release thanking France for its 50,000 Euro emergency 
assistance, and the Rio Group for its expressions of 
solidarity; JTF-Bravo's efforts were not even mentioned. 
After some quiet behind-the-scenes diplomacy on our part, the 
MFA issued a "thank you" release on December 4, and the 
director of the FEMA-equivalent National Emergency Commission 
(CNE) wrote to thank the Ambassador for our assistance. 
Minister of the Presidency Arias also personally thanked 
JTF-B commander Col. Richard Juergens and DCM Brennan in a 
hastily-arranged meeting in San Jose the same day. 
 
¶7. (SBU) President Arias, who had missed the flood crisis 
entirely, returned from a visit to Europe and Singapore to 
see the disaster area for himself on December 16.  He invited 
the media, GOCR officials, legislators from the region, and a 
number of local COMs (including Ambassador Cianchette) to 
accompany him.  The president seemed completely unaware of 
the scope of USG assistance, and lobbied the other 
ambassadors for reconstruction help.  However, Minister Del 
Vecchio and PLN legislator Yalile Esna (who represents Limon) 
were generous in their praise.  Interestingly, the VIP 
delegation briefly (and very easily) crossed into Panama near 
Sixaloa, highlighting the extremely porous border in that 
region. 
 
--------------------------- 
OVERALL, IT WAS A BUSY YEAR 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) In addition to the support to the earthquake effort 
and the Limon flooding, the last year has proven to be very 
busy and successful for JTF-B (and related U.S. Mission 
objectives) in Costa Rica.  In September, a Medical Readiness 
Training Exercise (MEDRETE) treated nearly 1000 patients in 
isolated indigenous communities in the Burica region, on the 
Pacific coast border with Panama (Ref C; see also December 
edition of State magazine.)  In May, two Blackhawks lifted 
over 180,000 pounds of materials used to rebuild suspension 
foot bridges in the rugged Talamanca area of Limon province 
(Ref D).  These were completed later in the year, with local 
officials stressing that safe access to schools and health 
facilities would have been impossible without the new 
structures. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) The November 2008 floods, along with the more recent 
January 8 earthquake, highlight the USG's commitment to 
disaster assistance in Costa Rica and the region.  We have 
not provided this much assistance to Costa Rica since 
Hurricane Mitch in 2000.  While the GOCR has sometimes been 
slow in recognizing our support (or needlessly critical of 
the amount, as in the case of our earthquake help), the 
people of Costa Rica are genuinely grateful for our efforts. 
The outstanding response by JTF-B, once again, demonstrates 
the value of U.S. military "soft power" in the region. 
CIANCHETTE