At least 271 people have died since the beginning of November in Colombia due to the rainy season, according to an official report released Thursday.
Rainfall increased in the last three weeks and affected 745,000 people in the country’s 32 departments, according to the National Disaster Risk Management Unit (UNGRD).
The rains are associated with the cyclical phenomenon of La Niña, which leads to a cooling of the Pacific Ocean. Global warming could also increase the phenomenon and make it more deadly, according to scientists.
The local press has been wondering for days about this especially rainy winter: “A winter that overflows”, headlines the newspaper this Thursday The viewerpointing fingers at global warming, while other outlets highlight deforestation that increases the impact of flooding.
In addition to the 271 registered deaths, including two last weekend in Bogotá, 348 people were injured, 6,755 houses were destroyed, as well as hundreds of roads, bridges and drains.
“National Disaster”
The winter season in Colombia normally lasts until December, but there is a “probability of more than 58%” that it lasts in February and March, to warn the director of the UNGRD, Javier Pava, lords of one Press conference.
The government of President Gustavo Petro declared a state of “national catastrophe” earlier this month to mobilize more public resources to deal with the emergency.
As part of this measure, it will provide subsidies to single mothers and hopes to guarantee food to affected families.
Source: BFM TV
