Panama Canal Opens After First Closure in Two Decades
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The Panama Canal, which handles more than 200 million metric tons of cargo a year, opened today after rain forced the first closure of the waterway since 1989.
The 80 kilometer (50-mile) canal, connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, opened after 17 hours, the Panama Canal Authority said in an e-mailed statement today. Ships were stopped yesterday after the main river and lake used by vessels reached record levels.