BOGOTA – Colombian authorities said yesterday that another 17 people were either missing or injured, according to a Reuters report.
The flooding occurred late on Wednesday, when rains in Antioquia's Abriaqui municipality flooded a camp at the ElPorvenir mine, as well as part of the mining operation, provincial disaster management agency DAGRAN said.
"This situation once again fills us with sadness," Jaime Gomez, director of DAGRAN, said in a statement, calling on Colombians – particularly those living near water – to take extra precautions during the rainy season.
In addition to the deaths, seven people are missing and 10 have been injured, the statement added.
Anibal Gaviria, the governor of Antioquia province, will visit the affected area in the coming hours, DAGRAN said.
Furthermore, authorities have warned motorists to look out for flooding and avoid driving into standing water.
“If you do encounter a flooded street or intersection, do not try to drive through it because it may be deeper than it looks. Instead, turn around; don’t drown,” city officials have been quoted as saying.
The Colombian National Unit for Disaster Risk Management reported that during the first 15 days of March, at least 12 people had died, six were missing and 14 others sustained injuries.
More than 12 600 individuals have been affected across 19 Departments, with Cauca, Cundinamarca, Antioquia, Chocó, Huila, Tolima, the Coffee Region, Nariño and Santander being the worst affected. About 1 840 houses have been damaged and 33 others destroyed.
On March 14 and 15, heavy rainfall caused the overflow of La Villa Creek in San Carlos Municipality (east Antioquia, north-west Colombia), affecting at least 100 families, according to a UN relief organisation.