BOGOTA (AlertNet) - Flooding and landslides caused by torrential rain across Colombia in recent weeks have killed 29 people and disrupted the lives of more than 94,000 Colombians, according to the Colombian Red Cross.
The heavy rains – which started in September - have forced hundreds of Colombians to seek refuge in shelters along the country’s Caribbean coast, one of the areas most affected by flooding.
In the colonial city of Cartagena, Colombia’s top tourist destination, around 10,000 homes in poor neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the city have been damaged and or destroyed.
Landslides caused by the deluge have also blocked main roads and destroyed bridges across the country, leaving several communities cut off.
Colombia’s press has criticised local officials for delays in implementing prevention mechanisms to reduce the impact of floods on communities living in flood-prone areas.
Local forecasters say intense rains are set to batter the Andean nation until March.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
