Heavy rains have caused the emergency evacuation of 200 families and disruptions to major transport routes around Bogota, according to newspaper El Espectador.
The Director of Colombia‘s Emergency Prevention and Response Team (FOPAE), Guillermo Escobar, told Sante Fe Radio that 89 families have been evacuated in Bolivar City, southeast of the capital. Another 100 are to be evacuated today, due to the risk of landslides.
Andres Gonzales, governor of the Cundinamarca region where Bogota is located, reissued a call for drivers to avoid the north of the city, which saw torrential rains at the weekend. Authorities are trying to reduce potentially dangerous traffic congestion in the area.
Emergency precautions taken by Colombian transport authorities include diverting heavy vehicles to alternative routes and allowing only lighter vehicles to cross Bogota River, which has reached its highest levels this year.
Severe downpours during this rainy season have caused several emergency situations, with Colombian authorites coming under fire for not taking adequate precuationary measures.
