Colombia: Lower risk of Ituango dam collapse /update 2

Event

Emergency works continue to be carried out on the Ituango dam, located in Antioquia department 170 km (105 mi) north of Medellín, amid fears the structure could collapse amid ongoing heavy rain. Such a collapse could lead to catastrophic flooding downstream along the Cauca River, potentially affecting 17 municipalities across four departments. However, an important threshold was reached on Wednesday, May 23 - the so-called cota 410 - lowering the risk of such a disaster. Nevertheless, the highest alert level remains in place in Puerto Valdivia, as do evacuation orders in Tarazá and Cáceres.

Meanwhile, continued heavy rain is forecast for the Antioquia department as well as the much of the rest of the country. Red alerts for flooding and/or landslides - the highest warning level - issued by the Colombian weather service IDEAM are in place as of May 24 in parts of the following departments: Antioquia, Bolívar, Boyacá, Caldas, Chocó, Córdoba, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Santander, Sucre, and Valle del Cauca. Lower orange alerts are in place in various other parts of the country, including the capital Bogotá.

Context

Flooding and landslides are common in Colombia during the rainy seasons, which typically occur in April-May and October-November. However, the current rainy season is expected to continue into June. Generally speaking, the flood risk is highest along rivers and the landslide risk is highest in hilly or mountainous zones, particularly in poorer areas lacking proper building code standards.

Advice

Individuals in the above areas are advised to closely monitor the situation and to adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities (e.g. evacuation orders).