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Context
Intense rains impacted the country for several weeks, starting on 2 November. The Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) issued yellow climate alerts for East and Central Panama and red alerts for the rest of the country, prompting the Government to suspend November’s national parades in some areas and school classes nationwide.
By 25 November, SINAPROC reported that the rains and floods affected over 6,300 people from more than 1,500 families and 26 schools nationwide. There were 304 landslides, and 12 people lost their lives. In Chiriquí, floods impacted some refugee families. Several rivers overflowed in Darien, including near Lajas Blancas’ Temporary Reception Centre (ETRM). In Yaviza, a refugee host community, the water supply was disrupted, and the port was damaged, stranding residents and hindering the arrival of essential goods.
November saw the lowest number of irregular entries in the past two years. During UNHCR and UNICEF's monitoring exercise, interviewees reported that persistent rains sometimes extended the jungle crossing to 16 days. Dry shelter spaces in the ETRM were scarce, leading to overcrowding in the remaining areas.
By 27 November, the Government had deported or expelled some 1,200 people on 24 flights, including nationals from Colombia, Ecuador, India and Vietnam.