At least 271 people have died since the beginning of the month due to flooding caused by heavy rains in Colombia. At the same time, a report from the Agency for Disaster Management (UNGRD) highlights that this year’s rainy season in Colombia is expected to be the longest in 40 years, and it is estimated that it could last until March.

Rainfall associated with La Niña and climate change has intensified over the past three weeks, affecting 745,000 people in 32 regions of the country, according to UNGRD.

Some media have been making extensive reference to this year’s particularly wet winter: “Water Winter” was the headline of El Espectador on Thursday, while other media have highlighted deforestation, which exacerbates the impact of the floods.

In addition to the 271 deaths recorded since early November, including two last weekend in the capital Bogota, 348 people have been injured, 6,755 homes and hundreds of roads and bridges have been destroyed.

The winter season in Colombia usually lasts until December, but there is a “more than 58% chance” that it will last until February and possibly March, UNGRD director Javier Pava warned at a press conference.

The government of President Gustavo Petros recently declared a state of “national disaster” to free up more resources to repair damage and help those affected by the floods.

Due to the damage done to many crops, food prices are expected to rise further, UNGRD also warned. And all this despite the fact that Colombia is experiencing the highest inflation in two decades (11.4% on an annualized basis) and an unprecedented devaluation of the hryvnia against the US dollar.

Source: RES-IPE