The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, convened an Extraordinary Cabinet Council this Thursday in which a “state of national emergency” was decreed to address the areas affected by the heavy rains and floods of the last two weeks, and in the face of a bad weather forecast for the next few days. This contemplates the formation of a new tropical storm in the area that impacts Panama.
The state of emergency decreed will allow the Government to carry out special contracts for goods and services up to an amount of B/.100 million and with a deadline set for January 15, 2025.
The president explained that the rains have caused significant damage to public infrastructure of different types, such as bridges and the Inter-American Highway itself, which will need to be repaired urgently or as soon as possible.
However, the president clarified that the state of emergency will only apply to expedite work at crisis sites or points. In addition, he has said that each hiring will be handled with prudence and high transparency.
The approved Cabinet decree establishes that all ministers and directors who carry out contracts under the state of emergency must submit a report of the goods and services purchased, with the name of the chosen contractor and the result of the work.
With this declaration of a state of national emergency, each ministry will be able to go to work immediately to resolve the different problems caused by the heavy rains of recent weeks, which have left 11 dead and 996 people living in 19 shelters.
Among the damages recorded to date are 659 homes, 16 schools, 2 health infrastructures and 10 collapses in road structures, such as bridges and roads, including a point on the Inter-American highway.
Mulino also asked the Panamanian population to be prudent and take precautionary measures against the warnings issued by the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc). “We are trying to preserve their lives,” highlighted the President of the Republic.
Precisely, Sinaproc reported during today’s Cabinet Council that the red alert remains until November 17 for Chiriquí, Veraguas and the Ngäbe Buglé region.
Meanwhile, a yellow alert was declared for Bocas del Toro, central provinces, Eastern Panama and Darién.
