Villa del Carmen de Capira, Panama – A bridge in the Villa del Carmen de Capira area collapsed under the weight of an articulated truck, falling into the Perequeté River. The driver escaped unharmed. The bridge was crucial for connecting the Pan-American Highway with communities such as La Trinidad, El Cacao, Ciricito Arriba, Ciricito Abajo, Los Chorros, Nuevo Paraíso, Arenas Blancas, La Bonga Arriba, and La Bonga Abajo. The incident occurred when a cargo truck attempted to cross the structure, despite visible signage establishing a maximum load restriction of 10 tons. Congressman Eduardo Vásquez, who also visited the site, noted that the bridge rehabilitation project was included in improvement plans. According to the Ministry of Public Works (MOP), the vehicle involved was a heavy cargo truck that exceeded the structure's permitted capacity. Personnel from the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc) arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area with road closure signs. Residents of the Villa del Carmen community in Capira have been cut off from rural areas of West Panama. The MOP reminds the public that an alternate route is available for light vehicles via Central Street, located approximately at kilometer 9.5 of the Pan-American Highway, using kilometer 0 from La Espiga as a reference; however, this route is not suitable for production trucks or heavy cargo transport. The bridge was reportedly in an advanced state of disrepair. The area will remain closed with Jersey barriers as a safety measure. The community is now on edge, as this road is heavily used by local farmers to transport their crops to markets.
