Res Communis

Disasters Charter: Flood in Panama

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

The Disasters Charter was activated for a Flood in Panama:

Flood in Panama

Type of Event: Floods, Landslides
Location of Event: Panama
Date of Charter Activation: 09/12/2010
Charter Requestor: USGS on behalf of SINAPROC/Panama
Project Management: CATHALAC – Centro del Agua del Trópico Húmedo para América Latina y el Caribe

Description of the Event:
Disastrous flooding and landslides in Panama caused by rains that have continued unabated for the past few weeks (caused by the same phenomenon which has caused devastating flooding and landslides in neighbouring Colombia and Venezuela).

The country is on “red – alert” and the flooding and landslides has caused suspension of operations of the Panama canal, a first in the Canals 95 – year history.