Disaster situation declared in Colombia due to climate variability

Bogota. The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, declared this Sunday a natural disaster situation throughout the country due to climate variability that generates unpredictable and unusual impacts that increase the vulnerability of the territories.

The head of state commented that although the declaration refers to every nation, where impacts of diverse nature are reported in different regions, three areas suffer great damage and that is why most of the efforts will initially focus on Alta Guajira (north ) and Chocó (northwest) due to heavy rainfall; and in Bogotá, where water scarcity prevails.

The governor also warned that the current rainy season has not yet ended, which will extend throughout the month of December according to forecasts, which is why new critical points could still appear.

Petro’s announcement was spread to the entire country after participating in the Unified Command Post that was held in the Crisis Room of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (Ungrd) in this capital.

He explained that the measure adopted to address emergencies seeks to transfer the nation’s budget resources that exist today in other entities that have nothing to do with this type of care, to the regions that are being climatic victims of the situation.

For this reason, he announced that in the coming days the specific national public investment plan will be publicly notified in the three points with the worst situation and in some places where emergencies are also reported.

The director of the Ungrd, Carlos Carrillo, assured for his part that with the declaration the government will be able to allocate the necessary funds to address the damage caused by the recent rains and protect the lives of all Colombians.

“No matter how many budget gaps there are, the resources needed to respond to an emergency must be guaranteed,” he emphasized.

Meanwhile, in Chocó, one of the regions affected by serious flooding, the Departmental Risk Management Committee declared a state of public calamity for six months and expressed urgency in the face of the delicate situation caused by the rainfall.

The Ungrd will allocate two thousand 500 million pesos (more than 625 thousand dollars at the current exchange rate) through two Collective Investment Funds to assist the municipalities hardest hit by the floods.

According to preliminary figures, there are more than 30 thousand affected families in the department and, starting tomorrow, the logistical operation will begin to send the first 10 thousand humanitarian aid consisting of hygiene kits, kitchen kits and non-perishable food.