Evaluating the flood damage in Bocas

BOCAS DEL TORO. The Ministry of Agricultural Development, conducted a survey on Wednesday, to monitor damage, to animal health and pasture areas, after recent floods.

Five days of rain, the result of a Tropical depression, that left thousands of hectare of cattle pasture under water.

That represents millions of dollars in damages for the farmers of the region.

A preliminary report conducted by the Ministry, revealed that the flooding has affected over 5,914 head of cattle.

It emphasized that the situation has created the presence of respiratory, parasitic, skin and gastrointestinal illnesses.

Cattle farming is the second largest economy booster of the province.

The president of the Association of Cattle Dealers of Bocas del Toro, Nestor Peralta, has forwarded a petition, asking the government for a grant, so that his guild may confront the crisis.

The director of projects for the Housing Ministry, Leonardo Machuan, said that the institution has 36 workers on the job.

They have all the materials necessary to rebuild the 312 houses destroyed in the floods.

Machucan explained that they haven't been able to complete the task because the municipalities s have not divided the land, inorder to relocate the families. A situation that has the population worried. Things are getting back to normal in Changuinola and El Empalme, after the installation of a new potable water system after nine days without potable water, do to the collapse of a 24 inch water-treatment plant pipe.

Meanwhile the Institute of Aqueducts and Culverts, says that the project to relocate the water pipe, will cost the State a 8 million dollars.

The Minister of Public Works, Benjamin Colamarco, toured affected areas, evaluating the networking avenues of Bocas del Toro. He announced that they will begin reconstruction of the containment walls in Guabito and Chiriqui Grande.

The complete report he says, will be given to president Martin Torrijos, to calculate the amount required for reconstruction in Bocas del Toro.