Colombia floods setting country back 20 years
Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:52 GMT
Man steers boat through flooded street in Gambote in the northern department of Bolívar @Plan
Thousands of Colombians are in dire need of food and housing following the worst floods in its history, says global children’s charity, Plan International
“Some parts of the country have been set back 15 to 20 years,” says Plan’s Country Director in Colombia, Gabriela Bucher. “More than 328,000 houses have been damaged and more than 5,000 have been completely destroyed.”
“We are working to make sure more than 16,000 people, including children, have enough food to survive on,” says Ms. Bucher. “Some families have lost everything and many crops have been completely wiped out.”
“People also need somewhere safe and secure to stay, together with practical necessities like mattresses, blankets, mosquito nets, water-purification tablets and cooking kits,” adds Ms Bucher.
While also providing emergency supplies, Plan is ensuring children affected by the floods are protected from abuse of any kind. “We are in the process of developing child-friendly spaces where kids can play and learn about issues that affect them,” says Ms Bucher.
It’s thought only 6% of people affected have managed to find accommodation in temporary shelters. So far the disaster is estimated to have cost the nation more than £3 billion.
Across the country, sanitation remains poor in flood-hit areas. Cases of acute diarrhoea, respiratory infections, dengue and malaria are rising. Getting children back to school is also proving difficult.
Over 850 schools have been damaged, affecting 320,000 young people, while 360 educational facilities are being used as short-term shelters.
Officals estimate that 2.23 million people have been affected by the heaviest rainfall in the South American country’s history. So far 311 people have died, 289 have been injured and 64 are missing.
“We are used to flooding in Colombia, but it has never lasted so long, nor reached such a critical point,” says Ms Bucher.
For more information contact:
Louise Finan
Press Officer
Plan International HQ
louise.finan@plan-international.org
+44 7739325807
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