Heavy rain in Panama forced a 17-hour closure of the Panama Canal starting Wednesday afternoon, the first closure of the canal since the U.S. invasion of the country in 1989.

The Panama Canal Authority on Wednesday said downpours had filled the Gatun and Alhajuela Lakes to historic levels, forcing it to suspend traffic, according to the AFP.

The Central American nation, along with Colombia and Venezuela, have received torrential rains in the last week, wreaking havoc on crops, rural communities and waterways.

According to the report, the Panama Canal receives some 5% of the world’s sea traffic and some 40 ships pass through the canal each day.

The Panama Canal was built between 1905 and 1914 and operated under control of the United States until 11 years ago, when it was placed under local authority.

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com