An suspected FARC attack on a electricity tower in the south-west Colombian Nariño department leaves 150,000 residents from the Pacific port town of Tumaco without electricity. Two taxis were attacked and set on fire in the same region.
The tower, which was blown up, was located between the municipalities of El Diviso and Barbacoas.
“For now the electricity supply is suspended, but in the main municipality of Tumaco service will be provided to the main institutions from diesel plants, however in the rural zone there will be no power today, we hope it will be restored Tuesday or Wednesday,” said Nariño Governor Antonio Navarro Wolff.
Police General Gustavo Adolfo Ricaurte confirmed that two taxis had been attacked and burned on the road to Tumaco.
According to Navarro, shortly after polling stations opened Sunday, FARC guerrillas set fire to the two taxis on the road between Tumaco and Pasto. Travel between the two southern Colombian cities has been restricted.
Travel restrictions hampered the arrival of the replacement for the electricity tower. Colombian soldiers were deployed to the region to remove the burnt cars and help mobility on the road.
The travel restrictions also affected electoral processes in the region, with the result that election results were communicated via radio and cell phone.
