• Live
    • Audio Only
  • google plus
  • facebook
  • twitter
News > Colombia

Colombia: Floods Affect 150 Families in the Choco Region

  • Floods in Boyaja, Colombia, April 1, 2020.

    Floods in Boyaja, Colombia, April 1, 2020. | Photo: Twitter/ @PalaciosLeyner

Published 3 April 2020
Opinion

Mainly women, children, and older adults live in this region; so far, however, no national authority has spoken out regarding the situation.

In the Choco department, the Bojaya Mayor Edilfredo Machado reported that 150 families were affected by the Bojaya river's overflow caused by heavy rains on Wednesday. 

RELATED: 

FARC Party Denounces Murder of Another Ex-Combatant in Colombia

He also said that 80 families from the Santa Lucia Indigenous community and 70 families from Pogue had to abandon their houses because the river's overflow continues to grow.

Mainly women, children and older adults live in this region; so far, however, no national authority has spoken out regarding the situation.​​​​​​​

Social leader Leyner Palacios denounced the vulnerability experienced by the  Bojaya's residents and requested help for his community.  ​​​​​​​

"Help us to help. S.O.S for Pogue, Bojaya. Children, women, and adults affected by yesterday's flood require your help. The meme reads, "Heavy flooding haunts communities in Bojaya. Pogue was evacuated in the face of the great danger caused by the voracious increase in the flow of river water. There are many children, women, and adults at risk​​​​​​​."
 

This is the second time this year that the inhabitants of Bojaya and Choco have been affected by floods, after those that occurred in January. The community expects the Ivan Duque administration to alleviate the situation by actions such as relocating villagers to safe areas.

According to local media, an official commission went to the site to assess the damage, provide support to the victims, and make aid feasible. However, there is no response yet.

More rainfall is expected due to the beginning of the rainy season. This circumstance aggravates the situation of the Bojaya inhabitants, who are under threat from armed groups and vulnerable to the COVID-19 due to lack of efficient health care.

Comment
0
Comments
Post with no comments.