Costa Rica Landslide Traps 21 People in Grecia Market
WEATHER · COSTA RICA
Key Facts
- —The country Costa Rica, a major destination for US visitors. Grecia lies in Alajuela province, the same province as Juan Santamaría International Airport.
- —Why it matters Saturated hillsides in the Central Valley can give way near restaurants, roads and tourist stops, not only in remote areas.
- —Why now The national emergency commission keeps a green alert in five regions as Tropical Wave No. 50 brings rain through Sunday.
- —What happened At 4:46 p.m. on Saturday 10 October, mud and rock blocked the only entrance of a food market in Bolívar de Grecia, trapping 21 people.
- —The numbers About 500 tonnes of earth, by the mayor’s estimate. No injuries reported. At least one vehicle damaged.
- —What it means for you Plan hill-country drives for the morning, follow official alerts, and expect afternoon downpours on Sunday.
- —Still open How stable the slope is, when the market can reopen, and when trapped cars can be removed.
A Costa Rica landslide trapped 21 people inside a roadside food market in Grecia, north-west of San José, on Saturday afternoon. Rescuers brought them out, some through a coffee field, after about 500 tonnes of mud blocked the entrance. For US travellers, it is a reminder that rainy-season hazards reach the busy Central Valley, not just remote mountain roads.
No one was hurt, according to the Costa Rican Red Cross. Grecia’s mayor said there were no lives to mourn.
How the Rescue Unfolded
The Cruz Roja Costarricense, the national Red Cross that runs most ambulance and rescue services, received the alert at 4:46 p.m. local time on Saturday 10 October. That was 6:46 p.m. in New York.
The site was the Mercadito Gastronómico Los Bambúes, a food market in the Bolívar district of Grecia, in Alajuela province. Mud, rocks and trees slid onto the main entrance and sealed it. At least one parked vehicle was damaged.
First reports from the Red Cross put the number trapped at about 30. The Cuerpo de Bomberos, the national fire and rescue service, joined the operation. The Red Cross later said its evacuation covered 21 people, customers and staff together.
At 5:07 p.m. the Red Cross said its teams had checked that no one was buried under the material, La Teja reported. It sent a basic ambulance, an advanced support unit and a rescue unit. Firefighters came from the Grecia and Sarchí stations, according to La Teja.
Rescuers worked slowly because more earth could fall. “The manoeuvres are carried out with extreme caution and along a previously defined evacuation route,” the Red Cross said, as a precaution against new slides.
An Escape Through the Coffee Field
Donald Quesada, the mayor of Grecia canton, told Diario Extra that about 500 tonnes of mud, stone and trees had buried the access. A first group of roughly 12 people left through the lower part of the building.
Rescuers then stopped using that exit because the ground there was soft and dangerous, the mayor said. Instead, the Red Cross, firefighters and the Fuerza Pública, the national police, opened a second route.
It ran through an alley and a coffee plantation to the road on the south side. The remaining customers and workers were brought out in small groups and met their families on the main road, Diario Extra reported.
“Thank God there are no lives to mourn,” Quesada said. He added that the timing helped, because the biggest crowds arrive at night.
Cars left in the market’s internal car park cannot be removed until heavy machinery clears the mud and the weather allows safe work, the authorities said.
Why the Hills Are Giving Way
La Nación said heavy rain in the preceding hours set off the slide. It was not an isolated event on Saturday. Downpours also flooded homes and shops in El Roble and Barranca, in Puntarenas, and in the canton of Esparza.
The Comisión Nacional de Emergencias (CNE), the government agency that manages disasters, had kept a green alert in place since Friday. It covers the Central Valley, the Caribbean, the Northern Zone and the Central and Southern Pacific.
CNE president Alejandro Picado said soils in those regions are highly saturated, so floods and landslides can occur easily.
The CNE linked the extra rain to Tropical Wave No. 50, which it expected to arrive on Saturday and linger through Sunday.
What It Means for You
Costa Rica remains open and functioning, and this Costa Rica landslide was handled quickly by local crews. Still, October is part of the rainy season, and Sunday brings more of the same.
The Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN), the national weather service, expects a mostly dry morning on Sunday 11 October. It forecasts showers and possible thunderstorms from early afternoon, heaviest near the mountains.
- Drive mountain roads in the morning where you can, and avoid them after heavy rain.
- Follow only official channels, as the CNE asks, for alerts and road closures.
- Take extra care in national parks and on hillside routes, where the CNE warns of falling trees and slides.
- Never try to cross flooded roads or streams, the advice emergency services repeated in Puntarenas.
For seasonal patterns by region, see our Costa Rica Weather and Climate Guide 2026. Rain can also slow flights, as in Costa Rica’s SJO Airport Delays Tied to Weather, Not IT Crash.
What Is Not Known
Officials have not said how stable the slope above the market is, or whether nearby homes face any risk. It is not known when Los Bambúes can reopen.
The exact count also shifted during the evening. Early reports said about 30 people, while the Red Cross later gave 21.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was anyone hurt in the Grecia landslide?
No. The Costa Rican Red Cross reported no injuries and said no one was buried. Grecia’s mayor said there were no lives to mourn.
How were the 21 people rescued?
About 12 left through the lower part of the building. The rest were led through an alley and a coffee field to the road on the south side.
Is it safe to travel in Costa Rica this weekend?
Travel continues, but the CNE keeps a green alert in five regions. Drive mountain roads in the morning and follow official alerts.
Sources: La Teja, first report; La Teja, evacuation update; La Nación; Diario Extra, mayor Donald Quesada; Diario Extra, rescue operation; Diario Extra, CNE green alert; Diario Extra, Puntarenas floods; La Teja, IMN Sunday forecast.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error