The Colombian government announced Wednesday that so far it has sent $80.7 million to flood-hit regions to provide aids to hundreds of thousands of people who became homeless after last year’s devastating rainy season.
According to the director of the country’s National Calamity Fund, the money was sent to mayors and governors of cities and departments hardest hit by floods.
Calamity Fund Director Everardo Murillo Sanchez told local leaders that 63% of the money was sent to the northern Caribbean region, which is struck hardest by floods.
In a video conference with the governors of Colombia’s 32 departments, the official stressed that Bogota is watching closely to prevent the money from being spent on things other than victim relief.
“The Comptroller General’s Office is currently visiting the cities, the Inspector General has appointed a team for preventive accompaniment of the process and the Ethics Commission, which embodies the chambers of commerce, the firm Kroll International, NGO Transparency for Colombia, and KPMG, has begun its work,” Murillo Sanchez said.
According to the official, teams will monitor the different shelters in the country to see if food packagaes arrive on time and in the necessary quantity.
Last year’s rainy season is estimated to have affected some 2.2 million Colombians. More than 300 people were killed in floods and landslides and countless families lost their homes