People on the western coast of Colombia are taken from their homes due to massive flooding from the Mira River. Photo courtesy of http://www.laht.com/.
Since last Tuesday, eight people have died and over 8,000 families have been forced out their homes due to flooding from the Mira River in western Colombia. The flooding has been caused by torrential down pours that have not ceased through the week.
While the flooding is occurring over 8,100 miles away, no one is as effected as PLU senior Jake Taylor. Taylor is a native of Colombia and has many friends and family that still live in the area of the flood.
“As soon as I heard about the news, I went to the pay-phone to use my calling card to call my brother to make sure everyone was alright,” Taylor said.
Friends and family members of Taylor’s were not physical harmed by the flooding. However, many of them still lost their homes as well as the majority of their land.
The rain started due to a series of low pressure systems that swept in from the eastern Pacific. The rain fell on already saturated ground and caused several rain-swollen rivers to burst their banks (BBC.com).
The town of Tumaco, where Taylor’s family resides, on the Pacific Coast was the city that suffered the most damage. Colombia’s capital Bogotá also felt the impact of this week’s rain, as several streets were turned into raging torrents.
The damage to property has been extensive due to the makeshift nature of homes built on steep mudslide-prone hillsides (BBC.com).
More heavily showers are expected in Tumaco as well as along the Pacific Coast for the next five days, possibly meaning the worst is yet to come.
With situations bad and becoming worse, the president of Colombia has declared the situation a national emergency and is asking water companies all over the country to send water to the damaged coastal city.
Taylor has started to organize a mini-charity that would provide water for people from those damaged cities through donations. $1 is equivalent to two bags of water.
If you would like to donate to the cause, contact Taylor at (253) 225-3251 or via e-mail at taylorjl@plu.edu before Wednesday, Feb. 25.
“Any amount of money will help the people of Colombia through these troubled times,” Taylor said. “I sincerely thank everyone for all of your help.”
