National Operations Center is now open 24 hours a day to identify critical areas as Hurricane Iota approaches
The president of the Republic of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, announced this Monday that in the face of the displacement of Hurricane Iota, the National Operations Center (CON) has been activated to work 24 hours a day.
A new risk threatens the country due to the advance of hurricane Iota, the second most powerful in 170 years of record for the month of November according to the US National Hurricane Center the National Government has activated the NOC to work 24 hours a day. day, headed by the President of the Republic, made up of ministers of State, heads of autonomous entities, public forces, firefighters. This execution mechanism is replicated in each province and region through the Emergency Operations Centers, Cortizo said at a press conference.
He added that based on international reference cases and policies and on the knowledge and professionalism of Panamanian institutions with competence in these areas, the recommended measures have been taken to address this environmental emergency.
Meanwhile, the meteorological analyst Pilar López, from the Empresa de Distribución Eléctrica, SA (Etesa), explained that this entity has kept a watch on the evolution, displacement and possible impacts of hurricane Iota on the country, which is currently of category 5 and is expected to enter the northeast coast of Nicaragua for hours of the night this Monday.
She also added that an increase in winds over the Panamanian territory is expected, mainly in the Pacific area, which could go from 15 to 25 knots from the Southwest and later move to the South in the next few days, the waves could be 6 to 8 feet; while in the Caribbean winds of 10 to 15 knots and waves of 4 to 5 feet are expected. High tides are currently maintained in the Pacific Ocean, so the tides may be reaching 18 feet high.
She added that the cloud bands that feed the system continue to cross the national territory, promoting rainfall of varied intensity mainly in mountainous areas, areas of the Eastern and Central Pacific in the Azuero Peninsula, and sectors of the central mountain range.
This system is expected to dissipate in sectors of Central America by Wednesday, however we are monitoring an area of low pressure in the Caribbean area that the National Hurricane Center is currently giving a 40% probability of being generated. another system or a tropical cyclone for the next few days, however, this probability is still quite low, said López.
On the other hand, the deputy director of the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc), Adelvar De la Rosa, announced that in the face of these climatic conditions, risk areas have been identified in the regions of Colón Centro and Costa Abajo, Darién, Panama East from Bayano to the Center of Panama, South and Center of Veraguas, West of Herrera and Los Santos, the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé, Comarca Emberá and the central mountain range of Chiriquí.
The Minister of Agricultural Development called on farmers to take the necessary precautionary measures to safeguard their lives and their families, and as far as possible material goods such as animals and plantations, to avoid damage, while they are maintained the 10 agencies nationwide and two regions open every day, and instructions have been given to the general managers of the IMA, Mida, Idiap, ISA, BDA and ARAP so that all regions are on permanent alert for the duration of the emergency.
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