SEE IT: Hawaii swamped by flash flooding
Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for more than 5,500 residents on the North Shore of Oahu due to severe flash flooding threatening the integrity of the 120-year-old Wahiawa Dam.
In Costa Rica, a California tourist has gone missing amid powerful flash floods and mudslides that hit the area during her hiking trip. The search for her has been hindered by continuous heavy rainfall.
Ashley Phillips, aged 30, was last seen on June 2, and now, 13 days into her disappearance, her family is enduring their “worst nightmare” as search-and-rescue operations have been suspended due to unsafe weather conditions.
Authorities in Costa Rica have declared a nationwide green alert, cautioning that the intensifying rainy season and a developing low-pressure system in the Pacific could lead to further destructive landslides.
Ashley Phillips, 30, went missing on June 2 after severe weather swept through Costa Rica. (Facebook/Ashley Phillips)
In an update on June 12, the family marked 10 days since Phillips’ disappearance, noting search efforts had become difficult because of the weather.
“Due to ongoing severe weather conditions in Costa Rica, the search efforts have been temporarily paused,” the family wrote in a GoFundMe. “However, the search is expected to resume once conditions improve and the drier season begins.”
Two people rock climb over a waterfall in a Costa Rica rainforest. (iStock)
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Costa Rica is currently under a nationwide green alert as authorities warnof heavier rains, saturated soils and a growing risk of flooding and landslides across several regions.
On June 4, the National Emergency Commission declared the alert for the entire country with unstable weather expected to continue for the next couple of weeks.
Ashley Phillips’ family and friends set up a GoFundMe for the 30-year-old California woman after she disappeared while going hiking in Costa Rica on June 2. (GoFundMe)
While they continue to wait, Phillips’ loved ones are finding ways to honor her.
“As her family reflects on Ashley’s life, they are finding ways to honor her, especially her deep love for animals,” the family wrote in the update.
“We continue to ask for your prayers for Ashley, for her family, and for peace, strength, and closure during this time,” the family wrote. “Thank you all so much.”
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