Hurricane Sandy causes four Colombian consulate buildings to close shop.
Washington, New York, Newark and Boston, temporarily suspended consular services on Monday and Tuesday as the northeast braces for the impending storm and the possible “life-threatening floods”.
Colombian nationals from Maine down to West Virginia will be affected by the shut down. The Foreign Ministry recommended first and foremost that expatriates protect themselves by remaining alert and heeding the warnings and updates of local authorities.
As of early Monday morning, the storm was headed for the New Jersey shoreline. The ensuing destruction is expected to leave parts of the northeast, approximately 10 million people, without electricity.
New York City Mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, ordered the evacuation of over 370,000 people in low-lying communities from Coney Island to Battery Park City in Manhatten on Monday.
After meeting with FEMA officials, President Obama said that Hurricane Sandy is a “big and serious storm.” Federal officials, said the President, were “making sure that we’ve got the best possible response to what is going to be a big and messy storm.”
The Colombian Foreign Ministry added that despite the shutdowns to the four consulate buildings, Colombian nationals can still access consulary assistance via the virtual section of the Ministry citizen service through the website www.cancilleria.gov.co.