Emergency aid travels across all boundaries, includes all races and religions, and results in rebuilding peoples' lives. Once again Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) is out the door and ready to roll up their sleeves to assist those involved in the ongoing floods affecting the provinces of Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Veraguas, Colon and Darien in Panama where more than 6,500 people directly affected are being sheltered in 30 centers. The President of Panama declared state of emergency and requested, through the United Nations Resident Coordinator an UNDAC Team (United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination) to support in the areas of information management, logistics and coordination. Infrastructures including bridges, roads and telecommunications have been seriously damaged and rescue teams are facing difficulties in reaching the affected areas. Access by air is also limited due to bad weather conditions. Forecast for the coming days indicate more heavy rain coming from the Pacific Ocean. The photos of the ongoing flood of the Caldera River in Boquete, Panama were provided by Sam Taliaferro.

In the Province of Bocas del Toro, telecommunication systems are out of service. UNDAC therefore requested the support of NGO Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) to install emergency communication services to support the disaster response, facilitate coordination and enable aid agencies to communicate from the affected areas. Photo by Mark Heyer

TSF deployed a crew of emergency responders from its Americas base in Nicaragua and is already coordinating on the ground both with the National System of Civil Protection (SINAPROC) and the United Nations. TSF’s mission is supported by the Vodafone Foundation and United Nations Foundation technology partnership, Inmarsat, Eutelsat, Vizada, AT&T, Cable & Wireless, PCCW Global and the Regional Council of Aquitaine. Photo by Mark Heyer