Weekly Note on Emergencies: Latin America & The Caribbean - Year 2, Issue 57

This note is compiled by OCHA Regional Office from disaster monitoring and inputs from our Regional Humanitarian partners. For input, feedback and suggestions send us an email to ocha-rolac-web@un.org

(extract)

HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODS

ARGENTINA: On May 17th, floods caused by the overflowing of Bermejo River has isolated more than 14,500 people in the province of Chaco, located 1,000 kilometres North of Buenos Aires. The most affected indigenous communities include: El Sauzalito (12,000 habitants), El Impenetrable (2,500 habitants).

COLOMBIA: Since January 2008, torrential rains and floods in various Departments of Colombia have killed 29 people, affected 85,519 persons, destroyed 509 people, affected 85,519 persons, destroyed 509 houses and damaged 7,700 others. On May 12th, the overflowing of the Cauca River caused flooding in Puerto Venecia, located in the Department of Bolivar, Northern Colombia. Some 1,400 families have been affected, 1,700 hectares of crops have been damaged (1,000 hectares of rice, 700 hectares of maize) and 5,000 head of cattle have been affected. According to the Office for Disaster Prevention and Management, May 12th report, the rainy conditions will remain through the next weeks in the Andean and Amazon Area especially in the Department of Choco, Cauca and Valle del Cauca.