Residents of the city of Colón, located on the Caribbean coast of Panama, have once again been affected by the intense rains hitting the region. This morning, neighbors and local authorities met to assess the situation, as the rains have caused a new series of floods in several areas of the city. The most affected areas include Avenida Meléndez and a portion of Avenida Central, specifically on streets 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, where water completely covered the streets and entered the ground floors of several residential and commercial buildings. Kenisha Vega, a 27-year-old resident who lives on street 3, recounted how the waters began to rise from Monday night and continued until early Tuesday, quickly flooding the city's main thoroughfares. Many are calling for better maintenance of drainage systems and the cleaning of sewers, which are clogged with solid waste. "We don't know when this is going to be solved, because every time it rains, I can't sleep thinking that the water could reach my apartment," she commented worriedly. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) stated that, although water levels rose, authorities managed to stabilize the situation in most of the city. In a press release, they indicated that the drainage pumps are operating at full capacity to evacuate the accumulated water. However, the large amount of garbage on the streets continues to be a challenge for the proper functioning of the drainage system. The situation has generated concern among the inhabitants of Colón, who demand immediate solutions to prevent the rains from continuing to affect the city.
