Flooding has affected thousands of people in Colombia’s north-central Santander Department after rivers broke their banks earlier this month.
According to local media, flooding has affected around 10,000 people (2,000 families) in the municipalities of Cimitarra, Puerto Wilches, Sabana de Torres, Matanza, San Vicente de Chucurí and Cerrito. Flooding has also damaged crops and farmland.
Media reported that the flooding was caused after the Lebrija and Carare rivers broke their banks after heavy rain that began around 12 November, 2019.
Flooding was also reported in the neighbouring department of Antioquia around the same time.
Colombia’s disaster authority UNGRD reported on 15 November that since the start of the current rainy season 2 months ago, there have been 214 events related to severe weather, including floods, landslides, storms and strong winds.
Nearly 10,000 families have been affected, 43 homes destroyed and over 4,000 damaged. At least 20 people have died, 1 is missing and 66 injured.
Social Media
#Santander Persisten las inundaciones en el municipio de Sabana de Torres por el desbordamiento del río Lebrija. pic.twitter.com/2XXYFuI7GC
— RCN RadioBucaramanga (@RCNbucaramanga) November 15, 2019
#Regiones | Aumentaron a seis los municipios de #Santander que presentan fuertes inundaciones y afectaciones en vías por derrumbes. Las fuertes lluvias han provocado el desbordamiento de dos ríos. @GobdeSantander https://t.co/H2kR85DzBU @lafm pic.twitter.com/Kht5aomSrG
— LA FM Bucaramanga (@LAFMBucaramanga) November 15, 2019
En #alerta roja fue declarado el municipio de Cimitarra, Santander, ante las graves inundaciones que se han presentado en las últimas horas. #Seis localidades más están en alerta naranja. pic.twitter.com/qudzGr4D3j
— RCN RadioBucaramanga (@RCNbucaramanga) November 13, 2019
Comunidad de Cimitarra, Landázuri y zonas aledañas en el Dpto #Santander informan a esta hora una grave emergencia debido a la ola invernal que por estos días se presenta.Inundaciones y perdida de varios cultivos se evidencian en las imágenes @GobdeSantander @COL_EJERCITO @UNGRD pic.twitter.com/LtcXAZJbh7
— Edwin Ballesteros (@EdwBallesteros) November 12, 2019
Fuertes lluvias en Sabana de Torres generaron inundaciones en el municipio. #OpinaSantander pic.twitter.com/2UXXDSe0Uo
— Opina Santander (@OpinaSantander) November 12, 2019
Featured photo credit: Edwin Ballesteros / Twitter
