Drought worsens drinking water crisis in towns near Colombian river

The season of drought Which affects Colombia is aggravating the situation drinking water and forest fires in towns located on the banks of the Magdalena River, the main tributary of the South American country.

Near its mouth into the Caribbean Sea, the Magdalena supplies the municipalities of the department of Atlántico, where a state of public calamity began to be declared due to the alarming decrease in the level of the river artery.

According to information from the Atlantic government, in the south of its territory, the level of the Magdalena River dropped one and a half meters in recent days, which causes serious supply problems for towns such as Suan, Santa Lucía, Campo De the Cross and Ponedera.

The undersecretary of risk management of the Atlántico governorate, Nelson Oquendo, warned that during the first three months of 2024 no rainfall is expected, so “There is going to be more drought and river levels tend to go down.”

Given this situation, the Government is delivering 680,000 liters of drinking water in more than 42 towns, including municipalities, townships and villages with the purpose of mitigating the impact of the El Niño phenomenon in these communities.

“We maintain constant communication with local authorities and affected communities, to ensure that our actions are aligned with changing and emerging needs. “This is a daily and essential commitment to guarantee that families in vulnerable situations have continuous access to this vital resource,” Oquendo pointed out.

One of the most affected towns in Campo De la Cruz, where its mayor declared “If the river level continues to drop, the collection of water at the aqueduct intake will be suspended,” which is why he called on the national government to help them face the emergency.

Regarding the issue of forest fires, Oquendo noted that the heat points in the territory are being monitored three times a day, via satellite, in order to provide quick attention to the firefighters.

So far in 2024 in the department of Atlántico, nearly 400 forest fires or prohibited burnings have been attended to, in coordination with the different fire departments of the municipalities.

Concern about fires

The forest fire situation continues to worry Colombian authorities. In fact, on Sunday, the Government issued the decree with which the situation of “natural disaster”.

Forest fires have been reduced in Colombia after a complicated week in which up to six were recorded in Bogotá and in some of the most important landscapes of the country such as the paramos. Of the 30 active fires that there were in the middle of the previous week, now only five remain active.

The fire situation has been exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon, which is also causing droughts in the country and is expected to last until April.