Colombia will issue a decree obliging inhabitants of flood-struck areas in the north of the country to evacuate when ordered by authorities., says the Interior and Justice Minister.
According to Minister German Vargas Lleras, the decree will only apply to the departments of Bolivar, Atlantico, and Antioquia, where emergencies caused by floods and landslides are most serious.
Vargas Lleras told press that forcing people out of their homes is not “ideal,” but that “where any Colombian is at risk his home will be evacuated.”
Colombia’s extended rainy season has killed at least 240 people since it began in March. According to authorities, more than 1.8 million Colombians have been affected by the rains.