Landslides on one side, floods on the other: the Costa Rican village desperate to escape the climate crisis

"In Emilio Pena Delgado's home, several photos hang on the wall. One shows him standing in front of a statue with his wife and oldest son in the centre of San Jose and smiling. In another, his two sons sit in front of caricatures from the film Cars. For him, the photos capture moments of joy that feel distant when he returns home to La Carpio, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Costa Rica's capital."

"When he started a family of his own, his greatest hope was to give his children the security he had lacked. But now, that hope is often interrupted by the threat of extreme weather events. His community in La Carpio, most of whom have Nicaraguan roots, live squeezed between the unstable banks of the Rio Torres and a steep hillside. Each time it rains, they face a double risk: the river swelling on one side and potential landslides on the other."

"Despite official reports deeming the area uninhabitable, government action has stalled. In La Carpio, houses sit along the Rio Torres, which is prone to flooding. Official reports have deemed the area uninhabitable. Photograph: Jake Kilburg/The Guardian At about 4am on 10 October, Delgado woke to the sound of rushing water behind his house. It was not the first time, but the heavy rains and winds knocked out the steel panelling on the side of his home."

Emilio Pena Delgado migrated from Nicaragua to Costa Rica at age ten and later formed a family in La Carpio. Photographs in his home reflect moments of joy that contrast with living in a vulnerable neighbourhood. La Carpio residents, many of Nicaraguan origin, live between unstable Rio Torres banks and a steep hillside, facing flooding and landslides when it rains. Official reports deem the area uninhabitable, but government relocation action has stalled. Heavy rains and winds recently damaged homes, prompting evacuation orders. Delgado led community efforts to relocate vulnerable families, shared photos and videos online, and raised awareness about recurring floods and damaged houses.

Read at www.theguardian.com