7.6 Richter... A Perfect 10 in Resilience!

Costa Rica greets the morning after the quake in hopeful spirits.

As you probably have heard by now, Costa Rica was jolted yesterday morning by a strong seismic event. The earthquake rattled most of the country’s territory and put emergency authorities on high alert. Fortunately, our beautiful nation was spared of widespread casualties and there are no reports of pervasive infrastructural damage. International and regional airports are fully operational, utility services have been reestablished, and the vast majority of the road networks are intact.

Costa Rica is a geologically active nation. This activity is partially responsible for our incredible bio-diversity, stunning rugged landscapes, and amazing volcanoes. Periodic seismic events are an unavoidable part of the equation. Fortunately, our engineering standards are top-notch, fully rooted in our geological reality and accounting for the excellent safety of our building codes.

Today, hours after the event, we are all imbued by a humble sense of thanks, of feeling blessed.  The raw number of the quake's magnitude was a terrifying 7.6.  But the reality is that the country is largely unscathed and in great spirits.  A perfect 10 in confidence and resilience!  The families and communities that endured some damage are now being assisted in solidarity, underscoring the hopeful conviction that our institutions remain solid and our character as determined as always.