More than 120,000 affected as 40,000 hectares submerge and shelters reach capacity across six departments.

Northern Colombia is facing a humanitarian emergency after record February rainfall triggered widespread flooding and landslides, leaving at least 14 people dead and more than 120,000 displaced or otherwise affected.

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The crisis has impacted the departments of Cordoba, La Guajira, Sucre, Magdalena, Choco and Antioquia, in what authorities describe as an unprecedented event for this time of year. Carlos Carrillo, director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), said rainfall in Cordoba has increased by 1,600 percent.

“These water levels had never been recorded in February, which is typically the region’s driest month,” Carrillo said, adding that more than 40,000 hectares (98,842 acres) are currently underwater. “There is clearly a climate crisis — an exceptional event,” he stated.

Text reads: At least 14 people have died and more than 120,000 have been affected or displaced after unusual rains hit northern Colombia in the middle of the dry season, according to authorities.

Cordoba Governor Erasmo Zuleta confirmed that 80 percent of the department is flooded, with entire neighborhoods submerged up to rooftops and key access routes cut off. In La Guajira and Magdalena, continuous rainfall lasting over 12 hours has caused streams to overflow and paralyzed mobility.

Temporary shelters are operating beyond capacity, as displaced residents report rising cases of gastrointestinal illness, respiratory infections and flu-like symptoms, aggravated by shortages of clean water and sanitation. Essential supplies, including food, mattresses and basic toiletries, are critically scarce.

Text reads: Several deaths are reported in Colombia as a result of the rains and floods caused by a cold front in the Caribbean region of the country

President Gustavo Petro’s administration is considering declaring a state of economic emergency to accelerate the release of relief funds and resources.

According to the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), the disaster is being driven by an atypical cold front entering from the Caribbean. With heavy rainfall expected to continue across northern, central and western Colombia, IDEAM has issued yellow and red alerts in at least 16 departments, warning of further flash floods and landslides.

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