“Rivers in the country increase their channel and put several communities at risk”: Ideam

Since mid-March, when the rainy season began in Colombia, according to data from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), at least 246 events have been recorded in 101 municipalities in 15 departments of the country, with Cundinamarca, Cauca, Antioquia, Huila, Nariño and the Coffee Region being the most affected by the rainfall.

In some areas of the country, rains could be accompanied by electrical activity, hail and gales. With a cut of 18 March, UNGRD recorded 2,044 damage to housing, 5177 families affected and 28 people lost their lives.

In the first IDEAM report regarding rainfall in the first quarter of 2022, it was found that rainfall has been above normal due to the incidence of the La Niña phenomenon, especially in municipalities such as El Peñol, Sonsón, Marinilla, La Unión and El Carmen de Viboral.

The head of Forecasts and Alerts at IDEAM, Martha Cadena, reported special attention due to the probability of sudden increases in river basins located in the departments of Santander, Norte de Santander, Cundinamarca, Tolima, Antioquia, Córdoba, Valle del Cauca, Nariño, Cesar, Putumayo, Caquetá and the Coffee Region.

The official also highlighted high levels of water in the Magdalena River at the height of the middle basin, especially among the municipalities of Cundinamarca, Tolima, Caldas, Antioquia, Santander and Cesar.

Another major river in the country with high levels is Cauca, which is why riparian communities in the municipalities of Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Antioquia and Córdoba would also be at risk.

“It is recommended that you consult the weather forecasts and pay special attention to the instructions of local authorities to minimize risks in different areas of the country,” said the head of Forecasts and Alerts.

Regarding the forecast of rainfall, IDEAM stated that it is possible that the most intense and persistent rainfall will be recorded to the south and east of the Caribbean region, central, northeast and south of the Andean region, the foothills of the eastern mountain range, much of the Pacific region and towards the east of the Amazon.

The official also said that “the weather forecast of rainfall for the consolidated quarter May-June-July is between 20% and 40% above the historical averages in the central and southern Andean region.” For the rest of the country, records of the time are expected. However, for the months of June and July, rainfall volumes of more than 20% are expected in the Caribbean and Andean regions, this situation is also possible in the Orinoquia for the month of July.

IDEAM recommends to the community, among other measures;

“Do not throw garbage or debris in streams, rivers and streets of urban centers. Adhere to the indications and recommendations of control entities, emergency and response agencies. Provide and share with family and neighbors the telephone numbers of municipal response agencies. Monitor the state of the local aqueducts and carry out their preventive maintenance. Protect yourself from the rain with an umbrella or raincoat and leave warm to avoid colds.”

According to the Ministry of Transport, there have been 415 emergencies associated with rains so far this year, of which 175 have caused total road closures and in 196 cases partial closures. In the last period, there have been 20 small landslides on roads and 11 damage or loss of banking.

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