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News > Latin America

After Putumayo, 12 Million Colombians Under Threat From Floods

  • A man looks at a destroyed area after flooding and mudslides caused by heavy rains in Mocoa, Colombia April 2, 2017.

    A man looks at a destroyed area after flooding and mudslides caused by heavy rains in Mocoa, Colombia April 2, 2017. | Photo: Reuters

Published 3 April 2017
Opinion

Almost a third of the population is at “high risk” from destructive floods like in Putumayo, researchers warn.

About 12 millions of people are at risk being affected by the floods like those have already killed over 250 people and injured hundreds in Colombia's southwestern border province of Putumayo, the Hydrology Institute warned on Monday.

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The study, based on 22 maps of departments and towns modeled over the past two years, found that 31 percent of the country's population is exposed to a “high risk” of destructive floods.

The researchers also found that 12 percent of the total territory could potentially be flooded, albeit by less destructive floods than in Putumayo.

President Juan Manual Santos said Sunday that climate change was responsible for the disaster, saying the devastated town of Mocoa in Putumayo had received one-third of its usual monthly rain in just one night, causing the rivers to burst their banks.

Late Sunday evening the government increased the death toll to 254, with over 200 reportedly injured.

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Disaster officials said more than 500 people were staying in emergency housing and social services had helped 10 lost children find their parents.

The disaster came after deadly flooding in Peru killed more than 100 people and destroyed roads and buildings.

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