USAID Helps Flood Victims in Colombia

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing $100,000 in response to the heavy rainfall on February 15 and 16 in Columbia. Due to the rains, the Mira River in southwestern Colombia overflowed, causing extensive flooding in Tumaco municipality, Narino Department in Colombia, which left at least one dead and affected an estimated 31,250 people.

The money will be provided to humanitarian agencies in Columbia for the purchase and transport of emergency relief commodities and the provision of safe drinking water for those in need. In addition, the U.S. Embassy in Bogota provided support for the transportation of relief supplies and evacuation assistance for affected populations in Narino Department. The U.S. Department of Defense has also provided emergency relief commodities, medicines, and medical supplies, valued at $17,000.

USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance will continue to monitor the situation in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, USAID/Colombia, and the Government of Colombia's disaster response agency, Direccion para la Prevencion y Atencion de Disastres.

For more information about USAID's humanitarian assistance and disaster mitigation programs, visit: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/