A landslide on the road between Manizales and Bogota has destroyed a major pipeline, leaving 40 municipalities in Colombia’s west without gas for their homes or their vehicles.
The landslide of over 5,000 cubic metres of earth damaged a pipeline that runs between Manila and Fresno. The damage to the pipeline has affected the departments of Risaralda, Quindio, Valle del Cauca and Caldas.
An evaluation of the damaged area revealed that it will take between one and three days to fix the problem due to access difficulties at the location of the landslide and the potential need for a helicopter to transport equipment.
Vice President of the International Gas Transportation Operative (TGI), Jorge Pineda, said they are working hard to repair the pipeline and hope that they will be able to restore gas for the residential sector, industry and to vehicles.
“We hope to have the damaged repaired by Friday and will hopefully have no more restrictions on residential gas,” said Pineda. Their priority is to restore gas for residences first, before focusing on industry and vehicles.