Panama: The Panama Canal reopened on December 9 after heavy rain forced its closure for 17 hours, said the Authority of the Panama Canal (ACP).

It was the first time Panama Canal traffic was suspended since the United States invasion in 1989.

"The canal is now operating, the suspension was due to the strong rains in the canal basin and other parts of the country," said ACP Administrator Alberto Aleman Zubieta.

Traffic through the canal, which accounts for five percent of the world trade flow, was suspended December 8 due to heavy rains that has left eight people dead and 1,500 others evacuated.

According to Zubieta, the canal was temporarily shut because both Gatun and Alajuela dams, which provide water to the canal, reached their historical maximum capacity.