Since Monday, the Colombian Air Force and the Panamanian Naval Air Service have been jointly combating a fire at the Cerro Patacon landfill that started on March 15 and is generating a toxic cloud covering part of Panama City and its surroundings.
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Yesterday, two Colombian aircraft and one Panamanian aircraft made 23 aerial drops to fight the fire with 5,610 gallons. Upon arriving in Panama on Sunday, the Colombian military mission announced that its pilots and aircraft will remain for about 48 hours fighting the fire to prevent damage to Panamanian people, properties, and ecosystems.
The new fire at the Cerro Patacon landfill, which has been considered an "environmental disaster" for years, emits toxic clouds with a strong smell of burning rubber.
The Panama Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (IMHPA) issued a warning for air pollution and advised the population to exercise caution due to the effects that toxic gases could have on their respiratory health.
The text reads, "Colombia supports Panama in the efforts to extinguish the fire in the Cerro Patacon landfill. On Sunday, a crew of 19 members of the Colombian Air Force commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Diego Gonzalez arrived in Panama. This week, they participate in the support operation."
In Panama city's main avenues, some pedestrians and street vendors can be seen wearing masks, while other citizens keep the windows of their homes closed.
Authorities have reported a certain influx of patients with respiratory problems to health centers located in areas affected by the smoke. So far, however, no serious cases have been recorded.
Environment Minister Milciades Concepcion admitted that extinguishing the fire was difficult because the Cerro Patacon landfill emits gases such as methane that are easily combustible.
This open-air landfill covers an area of 130 hectares, but its toxicity extends to 9,000 hectares around it, as it captures more than 40 percent of all waste generated in Panama, a Central American country with 4.28 million inhabitants.
Since the Cerro Patacon landfill has caught fire repeatedly since the beginning of the year, authorities will carry out an operation to mitigate its effects at a cost of US$47 million.