Date Published: 21 December 2010

Oxfam aid for flood victims in Columbia

Oxfam scales-up its aid in Colombia as worst floods in 60 years hit two million people

Oxfam is scaling up its aid effort to reach 200,000 people affected by the severe floods that have hit Colombia in recent weeks. The floods have affected more than two million people in 28 out of 32 districts in the country.

The agency called on the international community for an increased aid response to the emergency, warning that the heavy rains are expected to continue for many more weeks.

The flooding has resulted in the deaths of more than 200 people. A further 300,000 have been left homeless and are sheltering in temporary shelters.

“ These are the worst floods to hit Colombia in 60 years. They are destroying thousands of homes and crops, roads and public buildings in areas of the country that were already desperately poor,” said Guillermo Toro, Oxfam Programme Manager in Colombia.
“ There is an urgent need for clean drinking water and toilets to avert a public health catastrophe, as well as basic food items and temporary shelter for those who have lost their homes."

“ Without a large scale international aid effort these floods will continue to destroy the homes and livelihoods of the most poor and vulnerable in the country. The international aid response has been inadequate. The government has estimated that the cost of the response will be US$5billion, so far rich countries have only given US$10.5 millionto the aid effort,” said Toro.

Oxfam has sent response teams to three of the worst affected regions, Córdoba, Sucre and Chocó in the north of the country, to deliver clean water and safe sanitation. Teams are assessing where there is most need and aims to scale up its programmes in the coming weeks.

The Colombian government has declared a state of emergency in order to deal with the situation.

The flooding is being blamed on the La Niña meteorological phenomenon. La Niña causes a fall in the water temperature of the Pacific Ocean, sparking changing weather patterns characterized by heavy winds and strong rains.

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