Colombia is preparing for La Niña: investment of 1.7 billion dollars

Colombia will invest more than 1.7 billion dollars to face La Niña rains The Colombian government has announced a significant investment of over 1.7 billion dollars with the aim of addressing the potential consequences of the La Niña weather event. According to statements by the director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (Ungrd), Carlos Carrillo, an estimated 7 trillion Colombian pesos will be needed to address over 2,600 events associated with La Niña, which could include floods, landslides, windstorms, and torrential rains. During the presentation of the national strategy and preparedness plan for responding to possible events linked to La Niña in Colombia, Carrillo emphasized the importance of being prepared to face the challenges that this weather phenomenon may present. According to projections from the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Environmental Studies (Ideam), La Niña is expected to start between the August-October and September-November quarters, with a 70% probability of occurrence, possibly extending until the first quarter of 2025. In this sense, emphasis has been placed on the need to be alert to the potential impacts of La Niña, considering an average of 15 daily events related to this phenomenon is expected. Mainly, events such as floods, mass movements, windstorms, flash floods, wildfires, and droughts are anticipated, posing a significant challenge for the country. According to estimates from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, around 550,000 families could be affected, with 16,000 homes destroyed, 224,000 homes damaged, 2,201,423 hectares of crops, and 6,184,771 animals at risk. These figures reflect the magnitude of the preparation and response required by authorities and the general population. The director of Ideam, Ghisliane Echeverry, has pointed out that the Andean and Caribbean regions will be most affected by excess rainfall in October, while impacts are expected in the Orinoco and Pacific regions in the following months, until January 2025. This geographical distribution of potential La Niña effects highlights the diversity of situations the country will face. In the agricultural sector, resources amounting to 229 billion Colombian pesos have been allocated to implement anticipatory measures against La Niña. These actions include the dissemination of agroclimatic information, financial services, incentives for preparation and insurance, animal health brigades, and technological updates for small livestock producers, among other measures. The Minister of Agriculture, Martha Carvajalino, has emphasized the importance of prioritizing the Caribbean and Pacific regions due to their historical vulnerability to extreme weather events. It has also been reported that nine out of the country's 32 departments have not yet submitted their action plan to address La Niña, underscoring the need for effective coordination at the national level. In summary, Colombia is in a phase of preparation and readiness for the imminent arrival of La Niña, and authorities have called on the population to be alert and collaborate in the necessary prevention and response measures. The investment allocated to address this weather phenomenon reflects the seriousness with which the situation is being addressed, with the hope of minimizing impacts and protecting the population and resources of the country.