More than 800 people remain in shelters in the Panamanian Bocas del Toro province, a predominantly indigenous region, due to the heavy rains that have been battering the country and have left a 12-year-old girl dead after being buried by a landslide.
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José Raúl Mulino, Panama President, lamented the incident through his social media account and stated that trained personnel are in the area providing aid and assistance. Authorities are urging the population to follow the recommendations of the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc).
According to the official Sinaproc report, 804 individuals are currently in five schools and a community center in Changuinola, a municipality located about 600 kilometers from the Panamanian capital.
The area has been affected for several days. The tally in Bocas del Toro includes 456 homes and 1,716 people affected, in addition to nine landslides and one rockslide. Given this complex situation, the entire Panamanian territory remains under alert for rain and thunderstorms.
Montos altos para las regiones.
Más abajo en la información el detalle.
180-200 mm algunas zonas. Con isoterma 0° Alta.
Tomar precauciones no sea que se quede aislado cuando lleguen los temporales de golpe. https://t.co/pOmlWmr8Ia
— David Urra
(@davidurra7) July 6, 2026
the text reads, “High rainfall amounts expected in the regions. Details below. 180-200 mm in some areas. High freezing level (0°C). Take precautions to avoid being isolated when the storms hit. Quote David Urra @davidurra7 3 PM. Rain and wind weather in the south. Forecast of heavy precipitation in the regions of Los Lagos, Los Ríos, La Araucanía, and southern Biobío.”
Amid this emergency caused by the rainfall, the Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (IMHPA) warned that Panama is experiencing a “strong” phase of the El Niño phenomenon. IMHPA Director Luz Graciela Calzadilla explained that the warming of the equatorial Pacific has reached an increase of 1.7 degrees Celsius above normal, placing the event in this category and generating increasing impacts on temperatures and rainfall patterns nationwide.
The official warned that there is a 60 to 65 percent probability that the event will intensify towards the end of the year, potentially exceeding two degrees Celsius between November and January, which would be classified as a “very strong El Niño.” This phenomenon does not signify a total absence of rain, but rather an uneven redistribution of precipitation, with a decrease along the Pacific coast and short-lived, intense rainfall events. In inland regions such as the Dry Arc, prolonged periods without rain have been reported, such as the 14 consecutive days in Pedasí.
High temperatures, with readings up to 37.7 degrees Celsius in Macaracas and heat indices approaching 42 degrees, threaten strategic sectors. The IMHPA (National Institute of Hydroelectric and Environmental Protection) is coordinating with the agricultural and energy sectors due to the high dependence on hydroelectric power, which represents between 60 and 68 percent of the national energy matrix.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | Climate Crisis: Heatwave in Panama. China is on alert ahead of Typhoon Maysak. pic.twitter.com/q7K2w5mm0q
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 6, 2026
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