Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has expressed his sympathy with the victims of the latest rainy season and said that the government will do everything in its power to prevent further tragedy, according to a government press release Thursday.
Speaking from Berlin, Germany, as he concludes his official visit, the head of state said, “I want to express my solidarity with the victims of the rainy season. Unfortunately we have already had victims. Our heart is with their families.”
The onset of the most recent rainy season has already begun to imitate the devastation caused by 2010’s floods, with numerous landslides reported and many houses having been evacuated. Several departments have been placed on red alert due to fears of flooding.
Santos asserted that the government “will do everything in our power” to alleviate the problems and “avoid more casualties,” calling on Colombian citizens to cooperate with authorities and adhere to their recommendations wherever possible.
“One has to be careful. One must follow the guidance of those who make the warnings, for example, not to pass through certain roads that are in danger,” he said.