Panama’s rainfall patterns are changing with the same amount falling but in shorter periods with higher intensity, but the State has not adapted to the changes.
Representatives of the Panama College of Civil Engineers, experts from the Water Center of Humid Tropics for Latin America and the Caribbean (Cathalac), former Public Works Ministers and local authorities agree that the new rains, together with the lack of planning and the accumulation of garbage, has resulted in the recent repeat flooding across Panama City.
“Intensity curves” measuring intensity and duration were introduced in Panama in 1972 says Luis Marquez, secretary of the College of Civil Engineers, and allows them to define the model or construction design that will be implemented in a specific project.
“They need to be updated with the Ministry of Public Works because they serve as a guide when developing a project,” he told La Prensa.
Another aspect highlighted by the civil engineer is that drains or storm drains should receive cleaning or maintenance constantly, which has been a poorly handled by Panamanian state.
Eduardo Ruiz, of the Commission of Hydrology of the College, stressed that in addition to new curves of rainfall intensity and drainage cleaning, better planning is required from entities that carry out projects in the city, where about 1.5 million people almost half of the population of the country live.
According to Ruiz, when a work is developed, local governments or municipalities, the Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (IDAAN), and the Ministry of Public Works are involved but many times the coordination is not the best.
The College of Engineers recently evaluated this issue and issued a series of recommendations, such as updating rainfall intensity curves, dredging rivers that cross the city of Panama and control the erosion of soils in the district of Panama.

Drainage
Antonio Domínguez, deputy and former Minister of Public Works, said that in addition to support by the College of Engineers, zoning changes cannot be approved for a site without taking into account the infrastructure of the area.
"A drainage system for single-family homes is not the same as for multifamily, where there will be hundreds of families and that has also impacted the city, "he said.
He advised the municipalities in charge of regulating the issue: “When you are going to change a land use, first assess if there are urban conditions for the modification.”