The Colombian president canceled his trip to COP29 because of the heavy rains recorded in the country
Gustavo Petro (Colombia Humana, left), declared on Sunday (Nov 10, 2024) a “disaster situation” at a national level due to heavy rains that caused flooding in several parts of the country, in addition to water rationing in Bogotá caused by a drought.
“A disaster situation is declared throughout the country due to climate variability, causing unpredictable and unusual impacts, increasing vulnerability in the territories”, stated the president in an interview with journalists. Petro also said that the rainy season should last throughout the month in Colombia.
According to information released by the UGRD (acronym for National Risk and Disaster Management Unit), 27 of Colombia’s 32 departments were damaged by torrential rains last week. The statement did not mention whether there were deaths or injuries.
The departments that reported the most emergencies due to rain were Santander, Chocó, Huila, La Guajira and Cauca. In Chocó, more than 30,000 families were left homeless. According to the report released by UGRD, almost 1,500 hectares of plantations, 18 schools and 4,000 houses were affected in the department.
“What a statement like this does is that we can, based on the decree, transfer the nation’s budgetary resources today from other entities that have nothing to do with this type of attention to the regions that are being climate victims of the current situation.”, said Petro.
The president informed that, despite the declaration of disaster at a national level, the departments of Chocó, La Guajira and the capital Bogotá will receive a greater concentration of efforts. Petro said Colombia’s climate vulnerability “is being worsened by impacts that have to do with deforestation” and with “illicit economies”. He declared that, and, Bogotá, the situation is aggravated “due to uncontrolled urbanization”.
Last Saturday (9.nov) the Colombian president announced through his profile on the social network United Nations on climate change.
Watch Petro’s speech:
The President declared a disaster situation throughout the national territory due to climatic emergencies caused by heavy rains. The president reported that the rainy season will extend throughout the month of December and specified that the declaration…
— Colombian Presidency 🇨🇴 (@infopresidencia)
