Colombia – Houses Destroyed, Multiple Fatalities After Heavy Rain Causes Landslides in Cundinamarca
Jul 20, 2023 | Source: floodlist.com
According to the Governor of Cundinamarca, Nicolás García Bustos, 15 people died and 6 were injured after a massive landslide struck the village of Naranjal in the Municipality of Quetame, overnight 17 to 18 July 2023. The landslide buried or destroyed 22 homes and authorities are continuing to search the area for several people still feared missing under the rubble.
A road bridge was also destroyed and a long stretch of an important highway has been blocked, causing severe disruption to travel in the area. The road connects the capital Bogota to the southeast of the country.
The governor declared a state of emergency following the disaster. He said, “”The declaration of emergency allows us to allocate immediate resources for the attention of the emergency that leaves a balance of 15 dead, 6 injured, affecting 22 houses, roads, electrical networks and bridges. All our commitment to the region to overcome this emergency.
Other areas of the department have also seen heavy rain, including the municipalities of Guayabetal and Chipaque.
Heavy rain has triggered floods and landslides in numerous areas of the department this year (Source: FloodList Data). On 12 January 2023, heavy rain caused a landslide in the municipality of Anolaima, blocking part of a road, and floods in the municipality of Cajicá, which damaged 5 houses and displaced around 20 people.
Heavy rain from 15 to 16 January caused flooding in the municipality of Pacho where 1 person died, 2 were injured and 15 homes were damaged. Landslides were also reported in the area. Also at this time heavy rain and hail were also reported in Gachancipá and Tocancipá municipalities, the overflowing Negro River caused damage in Útica and levels of the Sumapaz River were causing concern for residents in Cabrera.
On 17 January flooding in the municipality of Facatativá damaged 2 homes and affected 8 people.
A landslide in La Calera damaged 11 buildings and forced 15 people to evacuate on 18 March, 2023. Also on 18 March flooding occurred in the district of Viota after the San Juana, Lindo and Calandaima rivers overflowed, damaging 200 homes and affecting 700 people. Landslides were also reported in the area. Landslides also struck in the Sopo district. Minor flooding on roads occurred in the Pacho district on 18 March. Heavy hail caused material damage in Guatavita.
Floods and landslides in La Mesa municipality on 25 March damaged 14 homes and a bridge and affected 54 people. On the same day a landslide damaged 1 house and affected 7 people in Quipile. On 26 March a landslide in El Rosal blocked 2 roads.
A bridge and houses were damaged and families were displaced in Suesca and La Calera in early April. Disaster authorities reported flooding in Villapinzon municipality and Arbelaez municipality on 18 April 2023.
Last year, at least 7 people died in flooding and landslides in April.
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