Panama Canal Closed for 1st Time in 21 Years

[Gerald]

PANAMA CITY -- Flooding forced the closure of the Panama Canal Wednesday for the first time in 21 years and heavy rains were being blamed for at least eight deaths in the Central American country.

More than a thousand people in Panama were evacuated because of what authorities called historic flooding caused by record rainfall.

President Ricardo Martinelli said it was the first time the canal was closed because of weather since it opened in 1914.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/12/09/panama-canal-closed-st-time-years/


note:Published December 09, 2010

[Growler]

Flooding at the Panama Canal is sorta ironic.

[Rockstar]

I lived Gatun C.Z. from 1973 to 1980. I've been through several rainy seasons down there and all were torrential and severe.

Though I'm no expert, the spillway from Lake Gatun to the Chagres River should have been able to handle it. Makes me wonder if they just never got around to opening those floodgates until things got way out of hand.

[Platapus]

Flooding at the Panama Canal is sorta ironic.

What would be ironic about it? :06:

[Growler]

Flooding at a place that's intentionally involved in raising and lowering water levels.

[Platapus]

That would be a coincidence not irony. :yep:

[Growler]

Imma smack you.:)

[Platapus]

Sorry, it is one of the peeves I like to pet the most.

And I wonder why I have no friends. :D