{"id":17732,"date":"2026-10-07T11:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T16:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=17732"},"modified":"2026-10-07T09:43:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T14:43:23","slug":"we-didnt-do-it-panamas-metro-line-3-denies-full-responsibility-for-albrook-mall-damages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/business-economy\/we-didnt-do-it-panamas-metro-line-3-denies-full-responsibility-for-albrook-mall-damages\/","title":{"rendered":"We Didn&#8217;t do it! Panama&#8217;s Metro Line 3 Denies Full Responsibility for Albrook Mall Damages"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Panama Metro has ruled out, for now, any link between the <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/business-economy\/over-100-leaders-gather-in-panama-to-promote-tourism-beyond-the-capital\/\" rel=\"internal\">Albrook Mall<\/a> damage reported by mall management and ongoing <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/business-economy\/texas-foreign-investment-can-tap-panamas-4b-infrastructure-boom\/\" rel=\"internal\">construction of Line 3<\/a>. The state transit company acknowledged that <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/politics-government\/red-alert-on-the-roads-attt-tightens-the-noose-and-will-demand-drug-tests-for-new-drivers\/\" rel=\"internal\">ground monitoring systems<\/a> have detected variations in the terrain, but said independent analyses do not establish a causal relationship with the reported sinking and settlement inside <a href=\"https:\/\/www.albrookmall.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the shopping center<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The response comes after Albrook Mall administration informed on Friday, October 2, about the existence of &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Consolidation_(soil)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">induced settlements<\/a>&#8221; at specific points within its facilities. The mall said affected areas were being monitored and that technical studies had been conducted to assess structural behavior, though it did not specify which nearby works might be responsible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albrook-mall-damages-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"Albrook Mall Damages\" class=\"wp-image-17733\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albrook-mall-damages-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albrook-mall-damages-1200x800-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albrook-mall-damages-1200x800-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albrook-mall-damages-1200x800-1-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albrook-mall-damages-1200x800-1-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/albrook-mall-damages-1200x800-1.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The response comes after Albrook Mall administration informed on Friday, October 2, about the existence of &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Consolidation_(soil)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">induced settlements<\/a>&#8221; at specific points within its facilities. Albrook Mall Damages.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Albrook Mall Damage and Metro&#8217;s Monitoring Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Contractor HPH Joint Venture has maintained an instrumentation and monitoring program within the project&#8217;s influence zone since construction began. Metro acknowledged that recorded parameters have shown variations, calling them &#8220;expected during the construction process.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The registered parameters have shown variations, which is expected during the construction process&#8221; [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The state entity added that analyses presented by the contractor and prepared by specialists and independent third parties &#8220;have not identified elements that allow establishing a causal relationship between the construction of Line 3 and the situations reported in Albrook Mall.&#8221; The separation between the works, which include tunnel boring, and other areas can be as little as 600 meters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1278px-panama-albrook-mall-panoramio-1080x720-1-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"1278px Panama Albrook Mall panoramio\" class=\"wp-image-9795\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1278px-panama-albrook-mall-panoramio-1080x720-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1278px-panama-albrook-mall-panoramio-1080x720-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1278px-panama-albrook-mall-panoramio-1080x720-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1278px-panama-albrook-mall-panoramio-1080x720-1-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1278px-panama-albrook-mall-panoramio-1080x720-1-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1278px-panama-albrook-mall-panoramio-1080x720-1.webp 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> The area now known as Albrook was originally formed by swamps, and during Canal construction, fill work and modifications to water courses were carried. By Randreu.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Historical Ground Problems in the Albrook Area<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The current situation raises an unanswered question about what is causing the settlements at the mall. Reports indicate that problems associated with soil behavior in Albrook are not new. In July 2004, before its inauguration, the bridge connecting Albrook with Ascanio Arosemena Avenue showed sinkage. Foundations had yielded and slabs were beginning to separate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Ministry of Public Works representative at the time attributed that problem to soil settlement. The area now known as Albrook was originally formed by swamps, and during Canal construction, fill work and modifications to water courses were carried out in the zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DeMQBfKES5x\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DeMQBfKES5x\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">Ver esta publicaci\u00f3n en Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DeMQBfKES5x\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Una publicaci\u00f3n compartida por Hispania Informa | Noticias (@hispaniainforma)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Line 3 Construction and Next Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Line 3 project includes an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elmetrodepanama.com\/linea-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">underground segment<\/a> that reaches the Albrook area, where the East Interchange will connect with the Fourth Bridge over the Panama Canal. Metro&#8217;s position leaves open the question of what exactly is causing the structural issues reported by the mall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For now, both Metro and the mall continue monitoring the affected points. No additional independent investigation has been announced to determine the precise origin of the settlements. The mall has not issued further statements specifying which nearby works it believes are responsible for the damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3940.9759458858266!2d-79.55521252430904!3d8.974360189840525!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x8faca8a4041bb127%3A0x3c6bff29f22095c1!2sAlbrook%20Mall!5e0!3m2!1ses!2spa!4v1791383791143!5m2!1ses!2spa\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" style=\"border:0;\" allowfullscreen=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Panama Metro has ruled out, for now, any link between the Albrook Mall damage reported by mall management and ongoing construction of Line 3. The state transit company acknowledged that ground monitoring systems have detected variations in the terrain, but said independent analyses do not establish a causal relationship with the reported sinking and settlement<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":17217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[30,31,34,35],"tags":[2599,133,50,432,7384],"class_list":["post-17732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business-economy","category-crime-safety","category-living","category-travel-transportation-tourism","tag-construction","tag-infrastructure","tag-panama","tag-panama-metro","tag-tunnel-construction"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17732"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17732\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17734,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17732\/revisions\/17734"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}