Martinelli Declares Friday Day of National Emergency

President Ricardo Martinelli declared tomorrow, Friday, a day of national emergency to bring aid to those communities affected by the recent flooding and landslides in Panama.

The heavy rains left 10 people dead and 4,097 affected, damaging 962 houses of which 312 were destroyed, according to Director of the Civil Protection System Arturo Alvarado, who urged people to remain calm.

“The government has total control of the situation,” he told Telemetro.

President Martinelli, who is visiting the affected areas, says that the Virginia-based Allied Energy Systems Corporation will have to assume responsibility for the damage caused by the discharge from the Bayano Dam.