Risk Management Unit confirmed that it will evacuate avalanche victims in Norte de Santander

The floods caused by the avalanche have left more than 130 people in a vulnerable situation. Private file.

On May 31, an overflow occurred in the El Molino lagoon, located between the municipalities of Villa Caro and Ábrego, in Norte de Santander. The emergency caused serious damage to the villages Remolino, Paramillo, Brisas del Tarra and El Tarrita. There, at least 20 houses collapsed and more than 130 people were left homeless.

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For this reason, the Attorney General’s Office (PGN) urgently requested the Ministry of Defense and the National Unit for Risk Management (Ungrd) to set up a helicopter to rescue the affected families in Ábrego and Villa Caro.

“The Attorney General’s Office urges the rescue of the victims, because there are isolated people in a situation of vulnerability and high risk and that all necessary steps be taken immediately to provide the help requested by the Department, as well as any other that is identified. after carrying out the Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (Edan),” the control body said in a statement.

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Thus, Olmedo López, director of the Ungrd, assured that two aircraft of the Colombian Air Force (FAC) are available so that, as soon as the bad weather improves, they go to Ábrego to evacuate the affected people. He also said that a unit of the National Police will be in charge of rescuing a sick child who is in the territory.

“Everything will be related to the improvement of the climate in Ábrego and in the entire environment of the Norte de Santander region,” said the director in a video posted on the Ungrd’s Twitter account.

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However, W Radio reported that rescue efforts have already begun in that municipality, carried out between the Governor’s Office of Norte de Santander, the National Police and the National Army.

Faced with the situation, the governor of Norte de Santander, Silvano Serrano, had told Caracol Radio that work was being done to locate the victims in order to rescue them. “Let’s remember that there are four villages that are affected by this situation,” he emphasized for the outlet.

Meanwhile, the Colombian Red Cross Section of North Santander reported on June 1 that it had activated the emergency and humanitarian aid plan in the Villa Caro municipality. “Fortunately, this emergency does not present deceased or missing people, thanks to prevention and prompt evacuation of families,” said the president of the Section, Carlos Iván Márquez Pérez, in a statement on Facebook

The Colombian Red Cross Section of Norte de Santander allocated humanitarian aid to 100 families in Villa Caro. Courtesy: Facebook Colombian Red Cross Sectional Norte de Santander.

He then reported that they made humanitarian aid available to 100 families, which includes a response team from Edan First Aid Support from Ocaña and a team from the Mobile Health Unit (Mofa project) from Cúcuta, made up of a doctor, nurses and psychosocial support.

Likewise, markets, toilet kits, kitchen kits and hammocks were allocated; each of these elements is made up of 100 units. Transportation, logistics and the provision of a warehouse to store the aid are also part of the emergency plan.

The municipality of Ábrego, for its part, will also be assisted by the Red Cross with elements of humanitarian aid. “Those affected in some places are already located, to be transferred to places of accommodation in Ábrego and the El Tarrita area. The Red Cross has a package to serve 100 families from the point of view of humanitarian assistance, corresponding to markets, hygiene kits, blankets, elements of special basic coverage” assured the president of the Red Cross section for Caracol Radio.

Currently, there are three critical points in the area affected by the avalanche, according to the National Institute of Roads (Invías):

Km 47 + 500 to km 48, where 500 ml of the road is affected and where the affectation of a 14 ml bridge is presumed. Km 49, where 300 ml are affected by the large amount of mud that fell on the road and where it is also presumed the affectation of a bridge of 11 ml.Km 51 to km 52 (1,000 linear meters) which is the place that after visual inspection is the one with the greatest inconvenience, since in addition to the landslide, there also presumes a 60 ml bridge suffered damage.

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