BRIEFS: Weather

Rain causes flooding in panama city

Heavy storms that rolled across Panama City Sunday morning once again caused streets in several areas to flood, grinding traffic to a halt.

Problems were reported in Calidonia, especially on Avenida Manuel Espinosa Batista, and along Avenida Balboa. Large pools of water formed on both streets, forcing drivers to slow down.

According to Jorge Pitalúa, maintenance director of the Ministerio de Obras Públicas (MOP), the flooding was primarily caused by garbage blocking storm drains.

“People seem to have the philosophy that they can throw their garbage into the drains because someone else will clean it up,” he said.

The MOP spends nearly $500,000 a year to unplug storm drains, but the efforts are often fruitless as trash continues to pile up.

Further adding to the problem is the large amount of construction that is taking place in the city. Cement, sand and other construction-related materials often help block drains when heavy rains wash them from construction sites.

According to weather forecasts by meteorologists from the Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica S.A., the heavy rains will continue throughout this week, and thunderstorms will be prevalent next weekend. That will most likely result in more flooding.