Costa Rica is always a captivating and unique experience. In August, I was enjoying a peaceful, wonderful stay at the tranquil Makanda By The Sea. Makanda is located between Manuel Antonio National Park and Quepos. My vacation was mostly quiet and luxurious; just what I needed. On the second day, I was reading in my elegant Studio when I noticed the bed seemed to “move.” At first, I thought I must have imagined the little shudder. I continued to read my book. Suddenly, the room seemed to come to life. There was a roar of noise as the windows and doors started rattling in their frames. The room decorations vibrated and moved around. The bed seemed to dance around the room (the comfortable mattress was seated on a concrete platform.)

Also adding to my terror of the unfamiliar was the fact that, only an hour before, the staff had elaborately related a story of a small mudslide that covered part of Makanda’s road a few months earlier. Makanda is perched on a hill overlooking the incredibly blue ocean. The only thought going through my mind was that I was about to get a much closer view of the water. Then as quickly as it began, a few seconds later, the small earthquake was over. Birds began to chirp and tropical life continued at its normal, relaxed pace. I had just experienced my first earthquake.

Costa Rica is a natural bridge between North and South America. Once in a while, we get a reminder that the natural forces that created the country are still at work. Over the weekend, the Tico Times reported that several communities in the northwestern Guanacaste province were rattled by an earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale. The information was provided by the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) based at National University in Heredia, north of San José. The earthquake occurred at 5:22 p.m. and originated nine kilometers northwest of Playa Sámara. There was no reported damage.

Although your first encounter with an earthquake may prove a little unsettling, small-scale tremors and earthquakes are common and extremely harmless. The last significant earthquake in the region occurred over 17 years ago. Costa Rica has been blessed with amazing biological diversity. This fascinating diversity is due largely to its geological and geographical variety.

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Filed under: Costa Rica News on November 26th, 2007