OCHA Situation Report
Colombia: Floods
7 November 2007


Second rainy season affects 72% of Colombia's territory

I. Situation Review

Due to the influence of "La Nina" phenomenon, since mid September 83
municipalities in 23 departments affected by heavy rains and floods
leave 80 deaths and above 850 thousand people affected. Through November
5, DPAD registered 852,239 affected people (174.755 families), 80
deaths, 130 people injured, 16 disappeared, 1,383 houses destroyed and
28,816 damaged.

The Colombian Red Cross reports that the most affected departments thus
far have been Choco, Bolivar, Sucre, Cordoba and Magdalena, -the same as
in the first rainy season-. IDEAM reported that the second rainy season
began with mid to high water levels in the lower basin of the Magdalena
River, and with permanent increases due to constant rainfall. The lower
reaches of the Magdalena River have increased water levels along Cesar,
Magdalena and Atl=E1ntico departments. In addition, increases in water
levels along the San Jorge River are also affecting Magdalena's levels.
IDEAM's meteorological models show persistent rainfall over the next
days in the eastern Cordillera as well as in northern departments of La
Guajira, Cesar, Magdalena, Atl=E1ntico and Bolivar (with 31 floods in
2007).

Bolivar's capital, Cartagena, is under critical conditions as rainfall
has been intensifying over the past days. There are 16,000 people
affected, many of them settled in high-risk areas such as La Popa hill,
currently flooded. Similarly, in rural Magdalena there are 15,000
affected. In La Mojana region, the most affected during the first rainy
season, the situation has worsened due to increased flooding during
September and October.

II. Impact

CORDOBA DEPARTMENT

During 2007 there have been 23 floods in Cordoba department; 6 of which
occurred over the past 3 months. Floods have affected 19 municipalities
since March caused by precipitation along the San Jorge and Sinu Rivers'
basins and their tributaries. DPAD reported that 77,247 people (15,560
families) have been affected so far showing a 16,49% increase in terms
of flood events as compared to the last report (August 13).

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=671199C72B89CD3F8525738D006068D6&file=Full_Report.pdf

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