Torrential rain in Colombia’s coastal city of Barranquilla, Atlantico has affected more than 1,500 homes, leaving one person dead and another still missing, according to local media.
Atlantico |
The downpour, which lasted more than an hour on Thursday, was the heaviest this year, interrupting electrical services in a number of neighborhoods throughout the city, according to Colombia’s El Espectador newspaper.
An official from the city’s mayor’s office said that several vehicles were rescued from swift currents by the local fire department. It was estimated that emergency services received up to 50 calls from residents due to the flooding and fallen trees.
The single fatality occurred when a street vendor suffered a heart attack after the rains swept away his cart of fish.
Authorities are currently attempting to assess the extent of the damage and the number of affected families to begin distributing aid.
Last weekend, protesters shut down a major highway in Atlantico, demanding that the Colombian government respond to flooding and mudslides in the region due to heavy rainfall.
MORE: Angry residents block crucial highway in protest against Colombia govt’s response to flooding
Sources
- Emergencia por fuertes lluvias en Barranquilla (El Espectador)
