Videos record strong avalanche in the municipality of Suárez, Cauca

The fear and terror of the Caucans was recorded in the videos circulated through social networks, which show what the avalanche and collapse that the municipality of Suárez suffered yesterday was like.

The Piedra Imán ravine would have had an overflow, generating floods and heavy collapses in some districts of the municipality.

A local media outlet, Todos por Cali Noticias, was among the first to report the emergency through a trill and a video that revealed what the situation was like: “This afternoon there was a strong avalanche reported in the municipality of Suárez, the #Salvajina hotel sector, so far there is no data on injuries or missing persons due to this situation of emergency. Relief agencies turned to the affected sector.”

According to reports from emergency agencies and audiovisual records shared by the different Caucans, one of the sectors most affected was in the area of the Salvajina Natural hotel, where water reached a group of tourists who were staying. They also had to intervene backhoes to help people who were trapped in the middle of the current.

Authorities reported that no fatalities have been reported from this emergency, although the hotel and several homes ended up flooded, while some motorcycles and cars were washed away by the current.

The mayor of the municipality of Caucasia (Antioquia), Jefferson Sarmiento Ortiz, warned that, due to the erosion that the Cauca River is causing in the areas surrounding this tributary, more than 4,500 people are at risk due to the likelihood of flooding.

In dialogue with Caracol Radio, the mayor of Caucasia expressed his concern about the increase in flows in the Cauca River caused by heavy rains in recent days, and which, so far, leave four districts in the municipality flooded.

“We are very worried that another situation like Caregato could happen at any time and there are human lives there. We are talking about 22 associations, we are talking about 4,500 people. Downstream are flooded such as Margento, Palomar, Palancas and Chinatown, and they are all reporting floods,” Sarmiento told the radio station.

Faced with the panorama, and in order to avoid further emergencies in the municipality, the local president of Caucasia informed Blu Radio that from the mayor's office they have 2.6 billion pesos to make an investment as a contingency plan. However, Sarmiento clarified that, for this, they need intervention and support from the Government of Antioquia.

It should be remembered that Caucasia is not the only municipality in Antioquia on alert for sudden increases due to the winter season. According to the latest report by the Administrative Department of Risk Management of Antioquia (Dagran), published in court on April 11, the riparian population centers located between the municipality of La Pintada and the district of Bolombolo (Venice) up to the Anzá, remain on red alert to the high levels of this tributary.

According to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), 131 municipalities in 17 departments of the country have already been affected during Colombia's first rainy season. In total, there are 3,299 families, representing more than 9,100 persons, who have been affected throughout the national territory. The winter wave also leaves 14 dead and 28 injured.

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