Saturated Soils and Yellow Alert Keep Panamanian Schools Closed

Classes will remain suspended for more than 170 schools in Panama's Ngäbe Buglé region on Wednesday, August 19. The Ministry of Education (Meduca) confirmed this decision, citing high levels of soil saturation and the ongoing risk of river and stream flooding. A yellow alert, issued by the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc), remains in effect for the area, prompting the continued suspension of in-person learning for 172 educational centers across school zones No. 1 and No. 18 in the Ñö Kribo region.

Meduca has urged school principals and regional authorities to make timely decisions in response to unforeseen circumstances or force majeure events that could jeopardize the safety of students and teachers. The ministry is actively coordinating with the Emergency Operations Center (COE), the Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology of Panama (Imhpa), the Governorate of the Ngäbe Buglé Comarca, and the Ministry of Government. This collaboration aims to closely monitor the evolving weather conditions in the region.

Sinaproc has been providing updates on the impacts of heavy rainfall, emphasizing the yellow alert in Bocas del Toro. The current situation in Ñö Kribo underscores the vulnerability of the region to weather-related hazards, necessitating precautionary measures to ensure the well-being of the educational community.