386,000 families
homeless in Colombia due
to flooding
At least 386,000
families have been
rendered homeless by
floods in the nation's
winter rainy season, the
Disaster Prevention and
Response Office reported
on Tuesday.
Office Director Luz
Pulido said the weekend
alone saw nearly 6,000
families losing their
homes. The situation was
critical in the northern
province of Cordoba,
where the Sinu River
overflowed its banks,
flooding the towns of
Cotorro, Lorica and San
Pelayo, leaving
thousands homeless, she
added.
"We have activated the
National Prevention,
Food Support,
BasicHygiene and Health
System, and alerted the
Psycho-social unit of
the Colombian Family
Welfare Agency and the
national army," said the
official.
The nation's Hydrology,
Meteorology and
Environmental Studies
Agency said that the
rains, which began in
March and were expected
to end in June, will
continue to affect some
regions.
Juan Lozano, Colombia's
minister of environment,
housing and domestic
development, said the
government had the
resources to cover the
emergency, asking the
mayors of the affected
towns to speed their
damage inventories so
that the government
could send appropriate
aid.
Pulido said the less
affected regions include
La Mojana in the north,
Atrato Chocoano in the
west, as well as the
departments of Meta in
the center and Guaviare
in the southeast.
The nation's Emergencies
Office has disbursed 3
billion pesos (about 1.5
million U.S. dollars) in
emergency aid, while new
budgets for housing and
agricultural support are
being worked out.
By far, Colombia's
winter season has left
57 people dead, 107
injured and 12 missing.
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