Colombia’s rainy season continues with 55 evacuated in anticipation of floods in Manizales, Caldas.
The Colombian sector of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) coordinated the evacuation of 55 residents in the Castellana neighborhood of Manizales where a breakdown of the sewer systems was expected.
Authorities assisted the evacuation while providing assistance to residents who had nowhere to go.
The town of La Dorada, Caldas, similarly suffered sewer system failures, which lead to flooding that affected 5,000 people.
Meanwhile, Manizales endured the loss of 48 residents in a devastating landslide on November 5. The government assured it would compensate the victims’ families.
Cesar Uruena, the head of the Colombian Red Cross, said that all necessary measures were to be taken to ensure the safety of Colombia’s citizens.
Uruena also mentioned flooding on the country’s roads, especially in the mountainous regions. He urged Colombians to drive slowly and carefully.
This year’s second rainy season has been especially harsh, with the death toll rising to 85 since September.
Ricardo Lozano, the head of Colombia’s Hydrology and Meteorology Institute (Ideam), pointed to a new climatic phenomena of La Niña, and said it was likely to last until March 2012.
Colombia put seven out of its 32 departments in “yellow alert” – Choco, Quindio, Tolima, Antioquia, Caldas, Narino and Valle.