ECHO Daily Flash

published on 16/08/2018

Heavy rain over the last weeks has affected several areas of Colombia, in particular the area of Mocoa (department of Putumayo), where so far approximately 30 000 people have been evacuated after main rivers reached alert levels. As of 13 August, the sewage system has been damaged in several neighborhoods, 169 houses have been damaged and another 14 destroyed, affecting about 600 people.
The Colombian National Disaster Risk Management Unit (UNGRD) issued a Declaration of Public Calamity and initiated humanitarian assistance in coordination with the Colombian Red Cross and local authorities.
In March 2017, a landslide in Mocoa caused by heavy rains triggered one the deadliest disasters in Colombian history with 316 people dead, 332 injured, 103 disappeared and over 17 000 affected people. The reconstruction process is still under way and many people are still living in temporary shelters.