BOGOTA, March 20 – Nearly 50,000 people have lost their homes in the Colombian department of Choco, where winter rains have destroyed homes, roads and bridges, leaving several municipalities stranded. Choco, where a state of emergency was declared on Sunday, has been severely affected by the intermittent rains in the beginning of the winter season.
The localities of Medio Baudo, Medio San Juan, Novita and San Jose del Palmar are affected by the overflows from the Italia, San Juan, Baudo and Tamana Rivers. Although floods in the last few hours have decreased, there is still no exact figure for the damage caused by the rainy season. Choco’s Governor Hugo Tovar told reporters that some areas lost four or
five bridges.
Meanwhile, 40 municipalities of Norte de Santander department are on alert for heavy rains, like Caldas, Tolima, Cordoba, Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Risaralda, where a landslide left two people injured, officials said.
BERNAMA
