Disaster in Cerro Punta last night - Anyone have any news or know what can be done to help? - Forum

Replies

Lee Zeltzer August 19, 2014 at 5:02pm

Donations of food, clothing, blankets, bottled water and anti diarrhea medicine can be left at Explora YA across from Big Daddies and at the Canasta Basica in San Francisco Plaza.
Keith Woolford August 19, 2014 at 8:47am

Oscar Peña of Mucho Gusto Panama made this announcement a few minutes ago on Facebook. "Remember donations can be dropped off at Explora Ya, Eco-Tours & Adventure Travel office or I can go and pick it up as well"

Explora Ya, Eco-Tours & Adventure Travel

Explora Ya, Eco-Tours & Adventure Travel, Bajo Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama. 2,893 likes · 625 were here. http://www.exploraya.com Experience a natural…
Catherine Joy August 19, 2014 at 6:59am

What about actual cash collections? Is there anywhere in Boquete that money is being collected?

C.
- Linda Baker > Catherine Joy August 19, 2014 at 7:18am
  
  Catherine, I've been wondering the same thing and was waiting to see if something would be set up and someone would post info about it. I just can't imagine what these families are going through up there. Was so happy to hear that President Varela went up there and is promising to repair everything ASAP.
Hil August 19, 2014 at 5:35am

My friend owns a farm in Cerro Punta. I talked with him last night. There are 3 bridges out to the farming areas and roads washed out. The President landed across the road from his farm and went on his farm yesterday and promised a Quick Relief for safety, food, health and replacing the bridges. The President says 60% of fresh food for Panama is grown in that area. My friend only has contact by phone to his farm manager. It matters somewhat about deforestation but that much water has no place to go but UP and OUT from the creek and river banks. The bridges were not well thought out or built and sadly people lived in housing close to the rivers. Natural disasters can be mitigated somewhat but not prevented. The earth quake and tsunami a couple of years ago off of the coast of Japan could not be mitigated at all and that was a farming and fishing community that had cut most of it's trees down. Why or how is not the issue at this time----saving people and what remains of their property should be first priority as the President says. Let's hope for the best. They are housing some people in a gym in Volcan and providing food and shelter. The government also put my friends workers up in a hotel for the time being. So, thing are improving in this PROCESS. I lost everything in Hurricane Opal in Florida. We had no power or water for 2 weeks. I understand how they feel up in Cerro Punta. We were years rebuilding from hurricane opal. I'm gratefull I didn't live in the middle of Hurrican Andrew that destroyed Homestead, Florida and KILLED all of the trees.

Just some ramblings,

Hil Jenkins
Jayne Ferrell August 18, 2014 at 7:38pm

emailed to me from a friend.............

the people effected by the flooding in the Volcan area are in need of clothing, this comes from SINAPROC. If you are interested in making donations they are accepted at Canasta Basica in San Francisco Plaza. You can drop off items there and they will be delivered to the Volcan area.
Sovereign Lady August 18, 2014 at 5:03pm

This is an update from a friend who lives in Cerro PUnta

Los Nubes is where most of the damage is. Approx. 50 families have lost everything.

I have been told that the bus is being allowed to go between Cerro Punta and Volcan.

The president and one of his deputies have been around most of the day.

1 helicopters and 1 fixed wing plane in the area today. Various groups are

Attempting to shelter and comfort the homeless.
Gordon Bakke August 18, 2014 at 1:50pm

Latest update I've seen from La Prensa:

"18/08/2014 - Civil defense agency Sinaproc confirmed Monday that nine people have died in flooding in Cerro Punta, Chiriquí.

More than 20 houses were destroyed by the flooding of the Chiriquí Viejo River. Officials reported that 12 people, four children and eight adults, have been rescued after being trapped on an island by the flooding. People affected by the flooding are being houses in a temporary shelter at the Cerro Punta gymnasium, where they have received humanitarian aid.

The deaths included two children in Las Nubes who were dragged away by the strong current when their houses was flooded. Another death was of a bus driver whose vehicle crashed when a road collapsed in Nueva Suiza.

President Juan Carlos Varela announced that the government will provide the resources that are needed to repair the damage caused by the rains.

Heavy rains have continued in the area today which has hampered rescue efforts. The national aeronaval service Senan has been brought in to assist Sinaproc and local authorities.

The Ministry of Public Works is also trying to reopen roads that have been closed by storm debris."

http://www.prensa.com/uhora/mundo/reanudan-busqueda-desaparecidos/3...
- Keith Woolford > Gordon Bakke August 18, 2014 at 2:09pm
  
  Unfortunately Gordon, the pictures tell the story relating to the cause of this disaster. Mountainsides stripped for agricultural purposes and the debris from doing so becoming dammed upstream. When an upstream dam breaks loose in a heavy weather period, the 'head of water' that has built up pressure and volume above races downhill, along with the debris, picking up boulders along the way, and smashing everything in it's path. We have seen this happen in Boquete twice in recent memory, and it was a common occurrence, year after year, when I lived in Costa Rica, where rivers are treated like basureros. This event is sad in the extreme because it was totally avoidable.
  - Safe Home Security of Panama > Keith Woolford August 19, 2014 at 8:24am
    
    Keith,
    
    You are 100 percent correct. The root system is the most important element for controlling mudslides. Very sad.

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