Another Stationary Cold Front Could Produce Another Round of Flooding in Panama
(Panama-Guide) - La Critica - As the result of a cold front that is located along Panama's Caribbean coast, between Panama and Colombia, the National Civil Protection System has declared a yellow alert. "This phenomenon (storm system) has produced heavy rains, increased water level in some rivers and strong winds of up to 40 miles per hour," said the Director General of Sinaproc, Arturo Alvarado De Icaza. Alvarado de Icaza said the cold front, the product of an area of low pressure, is in the same position as the storm that occurred in Panama on 8 December 2010.
"The strong winds have damaged 69 homes in the province of Colon, and blown roofs off of houses in the provinces of Panama, Cocle, and Chiriqui, as well as caused intermittent and periods of heavy rainfall, from the center of Panama to the Darien," he added. As for the Bayano dam, he said the agency has been monitoring the situation at the dam since early Sunday morning, and they have personnel stationed at the dam, as well as in the community of El Llano in the district of Chepo.
He added that at 4:30 a.m. on Monday morning AES Panama issued a red alert, and they proceeded to open gates number 1 and 2 to a half meter, in order to release water, after the reservoir exceeded its maximum operating level. He also emphasized that there is a boating restriction in place from the Bayano dam to the sea, and that they expect this cold front to produce constant rains for at least the next 48 hours, according to data from the Forecast Center of Hydrometeorology Management of ETESA.
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Original Source: Panama-Guide
Date Retrieved: December 28, 2010.
