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What happened, where and when?
Due to the effects caused by the Atmospheric Disturbance (AL97), on 2 November 2023, the Mayor's Office of Cartagena de Indias declared a state of public calamity in the district, through Decree No. 1441 (1). On the same date, the Municipality of Zona Bananera, Department of Magdalena, issued Decree No. 410, extending the Calamity Declaration in the municipality, previously issued through Decree No. 085, indicating recent affectations caused by heavy rains (2).
Since 30 October, there have been heavy and prolonged rains outside the normal range in the Colombian Caribbean, affecting the north of the country, especially in the coastal area, with greater intensity in the departments of La Guajira, Bolivar, Magdalena and Atlántico. According to the National Unit for Risk and Disaster Management (UNGRD), because of the rains, there have been multiple floods, landslides, communication problems and families affected by the effects of the Atmospheric Disturbance (AL97), which is a climatic instability that alters atmospheric conditions and causes strong winds and rainfall.
The Colombian Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM) issued a cyclone warning on 30 October, through Special Communiqué No. 1, by which it activated the National Tropical Cyclone Warning Protocol and alerted government authorities and the National System for Disaster Risk Management about the possibility of the development of a tropical cyclone that would cause increased rainfall, wind and thunderstorms. These effects were manifested in the west of the Caribbean Sea during the following days, affecting with heavy rains large sectors of the north of the country, especially in the coastal area of the Caribbean Sea (3).
On 3 November 2023, the IDEAM issued Special Communiqué No. 009, warning that the atmospheric disturbance continues and will continue to generate heavy and moderate rains in the northwest Caribbean Sea, including electrical activity over the center and west of the maritime area. This situation caused intense and continuous rains for more than 7 days, causing soil saturation, mass movements, blockage of roads, flash floods, gales, winds and increased levels of water sources, causing flooding in the city of Cartagena de Indias, in the department of Bolivar; in the Municipality of Zona Bananera, in the department of Magdalena; in the Municipality of Soledad, in the department of Atlántico; and in the Municipality of Manaure, in the department of La Guajira (4).
According to the reports consolidated by the regional offices, around 13,696 families (41,088 people) were affected by the emergency, with damage to their homes, limited access to drinking water and livelihoods affected. Of these, 600 families are in the department of Atlántico, 10,200 families in the department of Bolívar and 2,896 families in the department of Magdalena (5).