Rainfall brings sinking feeling

A COMMISSION of experts from the University of Panama has warned about potential problems, including sink holes, in Condado del Rey.

The commission was formed to analyze the recent flooding in the capital. At a Tuesday  press conference  Natalia Ruiz said the area is prone to sinkholes and instability in the earth due to unsteady surface layers.

Ruiz said that this has been corroborated by studies and the evaluation of different events in the area.

She  recalled that in July 2012 a garbage truck plunged into a sinkhole at a commercial center in the area. More problems are expected, especially during the rainy season.

Cesar Osorio, a professor of meteorology said the events last week that caused severe flooding in the city were due to an extremely high amount of rain. He said 163 millimeters of rain fell in Juan Díaz, which is the monthly average in some parts of the country.

In Tocumen, 63 millimeters of water was recorded, while in Hato Pintado the amount was 43 millimeters reports La Prensa.