More than 130,000 people have been affected by this year’s rainy season in Colombia, the director of the Red Cross’ national disaster risk management said Wednesday.
“There have been some delicate situations in 300 municipalities, we have 131,561 Colombians affected which is the equivalent to 27,042 families affected, 671 houses destroyed, 12,681 houses damaged,” said Cesar Urueña, the director of the Red Cross agency.
According to Urueña, this year’s rainy season had not been as devastating as during previous years, partly because the this year’s rains were not accompanied by the “la Niña” phenomena. The director also highlighted the disaster prevention work performed by the Red Cross.
“The work of the system of disaster prevention has worked very hard in the themes of prevention and reduction of risk…The communities are a lot more prepared, there is a work done so that at least the [situation] of the victims is very much improved.”
On Wednesday, hard rains were reported in the Caribbean city of Cartagena. Authorities said no one was injured and that only minor damages had been reported during the day.
Rains have been particularly hard in Colombia’s west and southwest. In April, extreme downpour caused an emergency in Colombia’s third largest city, Cali, The excessive water caused the city’s drainage system to collapse, which consequently flooded streets and homes.
MORE: Heavy rains flood Cali
Sources
- A 131 mil se eleva el número de damnificados por lluvias en el país (Caracol Radio)
- Fuertes lluvias cayeron durante toda la madrugada en Cartagena (El Universal)
