November 3 is Panama day of independence from Columbia. Boquete Panama like most towns has a massive celebration and parade. The day started with smiles and light rain. At 8 am people gathered around the Municipal Palace to listen to speeches and start the annual parade.
This event is one of celebration and tradition.
The parade went on as the rain grew heavier and when the parade ended after noon the crowds started to disburse and the rain became heavier. Soon the Caldera river rose to threaten buildings like the BCP theater and actually rose to the level of the bridge. Police and civil defense personal transitioned rapidly from parade duty to clearing people and cars from the Jaramillo side of the bridge and closed the bridge.
The flooding was brief, did damage and in addition the rain caused mud slides in the mountains closing roads and doing damage to houses in areas including Valle Escondido.
This youtube video was posted from Valle Escondido, Boquete Panama.
Today I am staying up on the mountain so I will not have any damage photos. This is the second November in two years with flooding in Boquete. There is a report of more inclement weather coming so this might not be over. We had a very dry wet season until October and now November has once again entered with a bang.
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Colombia not Columbia!
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