Heavy rain in several regions of Colombia has resulted in landslides and flooding, damaging hundreds of homes in the eastern department of Arauca and leaving 2 people dead in northwestern Antioquia.
Update: Local media reported flooding in the city and surrounding areas of Cúcuta, capital of Norte de Santander department, 05 June 2021. Roads were inundated in central parts of the city after the Pamplonita river broke its banks. One person died when a vehicle fell into a rainwater channel near a round on the outskirts of the city.
Arauca
The government of Arauca department reported severe flooding in Puerto Nariño in Saravena municipality from 06 June after heavy rain caused the Banadia River and other smaller tributaries to break their banks.
The government said more than 1,000 homes were flooded, 7 bridges damaged along with thousands of hectares of farmland. The government of Arauca said it’s the worst flooding seen since May 2015.
Other areas of the department have also been affected, including Fortul municipality where the important Fortul-Saravena and Fortul-Tame roads have been blocked.A few days earlier, flooding damaged 11 homes in Puerto Rondón municipality.
Colombia’s meteorological agency Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (IDEAM) issued an Orange Alert for the swollen Arauca River, which runs through the department’s capital, the city of Arauca.
As of 08 June, the Arauca river at Arauquita stood at 7.85 metres. Red alert level here is 8 metres. IDEAM also warned of landslides in Fortul and Saravena municipalities.
Antioquia
Dagran, the disaster agency in Antioquia department, reported that 2 people died after heavy rain caused a landslide in Narciso in Venecia municipality on 06 June 2021.
A few days ago flooding affected hundreds of families in the municipalities of Liborina, Cisneros and Santo Domingo. One person died in a landslide in Campamento.
