Colombia tackles Heavy flooding, 60 dead, 270,000 homeless
Pastor Dale Morgan
Colombia tackles Heavy flooding, 60 dead, 270,000 homeless*
Colombian is sending emergency funds to regions of the country hit by
heavy flooding that has left at least 60 people dead in the past few weeks.
President Alvaro Uribe, who visited some of the areas on Monday,
described the floods as "a tragedy" and promised more efficient
government action.
Some 270,000 people have had their homes or businesses wrecked or
damaged since the rainy season began in March.
One town, Nechi in Antioquia province, has been almost completely flooded.
The heavy rains have affected large parts of the country, with the north
particularly badly hit.
Thousands of people have lost their homes and livelihoods, many of them
caught up in mudslides set off by the floodwaters.
Mr Uribe announced humanitarian aid for the flooded regions.
He also promised more infrastructure work to try to stop one of
Colombia's major rivers, the Cauca, from regularly breaking its banks.
"We have made an enormous effort during the last few years to stop the
Cauca from flooding, but now it broke a levy somewhere else," Mr Uribe said.
"We have to think about how to get better and more efficient in regards
to governmental action on these matters."
Weather forecasts say the rains are likely to continue for at least
another week.