OCHA Situation Report No. 3
Colombia: Rainfall/Winter Season
1 May 2006


This situation report is based on information provided to OCHA by the UN
Resident Coordinator's Office in Colombia.

Situation

1. Over the past few days, heavy rainfall has taken place in Antioquia,
Santander, Narino, and Cauca departments and along the plains and Amazon
foothills, increasing the risk of landslides and floods in a large part
of the Andean region.

2. Despite a moderate decrease in water levels, relatively high levels
persist in the river Carare, Santander department, especially in the
areas of Cimitarra and Malaga, the rivers Nechi, Sumapaz and Paez in
Huila department, and tributaries of the river Atrato in Choco
department. There is an increasing possibility of rising water levels in
the upper regions of the Nudo de Paramillo, in Antioquia and Cordoba
departments, and in the Serrania de San Lucas, in the Sierra Nevada de
Santa Marta, Cesar department.

3. A Yellow alert(1) level has been maintained for the sector of the
river Magdalena between Barrancabermeja, Santander department, and Santa
Ana, Magdalena department, for the sector of the Cauca river between
Caucasia, Antioquia department and Granada, Sucre department. In
Gamarra, Cesar department, the water level of the river Magdalena is
rising again, after having stabilized.

4. A cold front over the Caribbean Sea could generate strong winds and
intensify rainfall in central and eastern areas of the Caribbean coast.

5. The Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies
(IDEAM) recommended that monitoring continue in disaster-prone areas
along the plains and Amazon foothills, the Pacific region, the Colombian
mountain-range, and the mountain slopes in Antioquia and Santander
departments, due to the possibility of landslides.

6. The National Directorate for Disaster Prevention and Attention(2)
(Direccion General de Prevencion y Atencion de Desastres / DGPAD)
reported 201 events associated with heavy rainfall this year, as
follows:


Type of Event - 1 January to 27 April 2006

|-------------+----+------|
| Landslides  | 85 |  42% |
|-------------+----+------|
| Floods      | 86 |  43% |
|-------------+----+------|
| Avalanches  |  6 |   3% |
|-------------+----+------|
| Wind storms | 24 |  12% |
|-------------+----+------|
|         201 |    | 100% |
|-------------+----+------|


Impact

7. According to the Colombian Red Cross, so far this year the rainy
season has affected 21 of 33 departments and 128 municipalities. A total
of 82 persons have lost their lives, 14 are missing, 179 injured, and
12,069 families (61,295 people) affected.  In addition, 729 homes have
been destroyed and 4,605 damaged.

8. The following table illustrates the situation:


International response

9. The Colombian Government has not requested international assistance.

10. The UN Emergency Technical Team (UNETE), which comprises IOM,
PAHO/WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF and OCHA, visited the DGPAD on 26 April and was
assured that the response capacity of the national system was sufficient
to assist those affected by the rains and floods.

11. OCHA is in close contact with the Office of the United Nations
Resident Coordinator in Colombia and will revert with further
information as it becomes available.

12. This situation report, together with further information on other
ongoing emergencies is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officer:
  Ms. Marie Spaak
    E-mail: spaak@un.org
    Direct Tel. +41-22-917 21 63

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Direct Tel. + 41-22-917 2653
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Direct Tel. +1-917-367 51 26
  NYC - Mr. Brian Grogan, Direct Tel. +1-212-963 11 43

Footnotes

(1) The persistence and intensity of the rains could provoke river
overflows in days or weeks.

(2) State entity created in 1989, through Decree 919, in order to ensure
the management and coordination of the entities that are part of the
National Disaster Prevention and Attention System.1989

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