2017 Mocoa landslide

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2017 Mocoa landslide

Mocoa

2017 Mocoa landslide (Colombia)

Location of Mocoa within Colombia

Time 3:00 a.m. COT (UTC05:00)

Date 1 April 2017

Location Mocoa, Colombia

1090N 763851WCoordinates: 1090N 7

Coordinates
63851W

Type Landslide, flash flood

Deaths 254 reported (43 children)

 Non-fatal 400 reported

injuries

Missing 220 reported

During the pre-dawn hours of 1 April 2017, locally heavy rain triggered flash flooding and landslides
in the city of Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia, killing at least 254 people, injuring more than 400, and
leaving 220 others missing. It is regarded as the worst catastrophe in the history of Mocoa. [1]

Contents
[hide]

1Background and disaster

2Aftermath

3See also

4References

Background and disaster[edit]

Situated in the Andes Mountains, the department of Putumayo is notorious for deadly landslides.
The region's mountainous terrain and frequent rainfall makes it prone to such disasters. [2] Throughout
much of the first three months of 2017, the northwestern coast of South America saw above-average
rainfall, leading to deadly floods in Peru and Ecuador.[3]
During the overnight of 31 March 1 April, heavy rains fell across southwestern Colombia, while
most people were sleeping. According to residents, the rain became particularly intense between
11:00 p.m. and 1 a.m. local time.[2] A total of 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain fell during the event; on average
the area sees 400 mm (16 in) during the entire month of March.[4] This caused
the Mocoa, Sangoyaco, and Mulata rivers to overflow and send mudflows towards residences and
infrastructure in the city of Mocoa by 3:00 a.m.[5][6]
Neighborhoods built along the banks of the aforementioned rivers were completely devastated.
[7]
Numerous poorly constructed homes were leveled, and large portions of the city were left buried in
several feet of mud.[2] The disaster adversely affected 17 of the cities neighborhoods, with the the
mayor of Mocoa, Jos Antonio Castro, stating some areas "[had] basically been erased." [8] The
Independencia neighborhood was entirely destroyed. [9]
By the morning of 2 April, at least 254 people were known dead (including 43 children), [7][10] more than
400 were injured (including 167 children),[7]and a further 220 were missing.[11] At least 22 of the
injured were in a "delicate health situation" and transferred to Neiva.[7]
Colombia's president, Juan Manuel Santos said that "30% of monthly rain fell in just one night."[12]

Aftermath[edit]
President Juan Manuel Santos declared a state of emergency and stated that his "heart and the
hearts of all Colombians are with the victims of this tragedy." [13] More than 1,100 soldiers and police
officers deployed to assist in search and rescue efforts.[2] Santos labelled the incident "a disaster
caused by nature, by climate change."[14] A temporary morgue was established to handle the large
number of deceased.[11] The Colombian Red Cross activated its National Crisis Room in response to
the disaster and deployed a team of 47 people to assist in recovery.[15] Hospitals in the city were
overwhelmed with the influx of patients, and much of the area was left without power and water.[9]
By 2 April, more than 2,500 personnelincluding 1,400 soldiers and 800 police officerswere
scouring debris for survivors. The army provided 63 vehicles, 10 helicopters, 7 boats, and 6 planes
for the rescue operation.[7]

See also[edit]
Armero tragedy

January 2011 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides

Mameyes Landslide

Vargas tragedy

References[edit]
1. Jump up^ Justicia (2 April 2017). "La avalancha que provoc la peor
catstrofe en la historia de Mocoa". El Tiempo. Retrieved 2 April 2017.

2. ^ Jump up to:a b c d "Colombia landslide leaves over 150 dead in

Putumayo province". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2017.

3. Jump up^ "Flooding, Mudslides Kill Nearly 200 in Colombia". Voice of

America. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.

4. Jump up^ "234 killed, 400+ injured or missing in Colombia mudslide

Red Cross". RT. 2 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.

5. Jump up^ Colombia Avalancha e inundaciones en Mocoa

(Putumayo) Flash Update No. 1 (01/04/17) (PDF) (Report) (in
Spanish). ReliefWeb. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.

6. Jump up^ "Tragedia en Mocoa: "Eran las 3:00 a.m. cuando sintieron
el remezn y la naturaleza los arrastr"". El Pas (in Spanish). 1 April
2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.

7. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e "Tragedia en Mocoa: van 254 muertos y

centenares de heridos por avalancha". Semana (in Spanish). 2 April
2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.

8. Jump up^ "Colombia landslide kills more than 150, injures dozens:
local police". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1
April 2017.

9. ^ Jump up to:a b Los equipos de Accin contra el Hambre se movilizan

en Mocoa tras inundaciones y avalanchas que han provocado 127
muertes (Report) (in Spanish). ReliefWeb. Accin contra el Hambre
Espaa. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
 10. Jump up^ "Death toll 254 and counting as Colombia reels under
mudslides". The Hindu. Mocoa: Associated Press. 3 April 2017.
Retrieved 3 April 2017.

11. ^ Jump up to:a b "More than 250 killed in Colombia in flooding, swept
away as they slept". CBC News. The Associated Press. 2 April 2017.
Retrieved 2 April 2017.

12. Jump up^ "Scores killed as landslides devastate Colombia's

Mocoa". www.aljazeera.com. 2 April, 2017. Retrieved 2017-04-
03.Check date values in: |date= (help)

13. Jump up^ "Colombia landslides: Over 200 die in Putumayo

floods". BBC. Retrieved 2 April 2017.

14. Jump up^ Brocchetto, Marilia; Ramos, Fernando; Sanchez,

Ray. "Mudslides kill more than 200 people in Colombia". CNN.
Retrieved 1 April 2017.

15. Jump up^ Media alert: Red Cross responds to deadly landslide in
Colombia (Report). ReliefWeb. International Federation of Red Cross
And Red Crescent Societies. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
Categories:
2017 in Colombia
April 2017 events in South America
Landslides in 2017
Landslides in Colombia
Putumayo Department

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