IN 102 NEIGHBORHOODS OF BUCARAMANGA AND THE METROPOLITAN AREA, THERE IS A FLOOD RISK

A study of flood zones for the Metropolitan area of Bucaramanga revealed that 102 neighborhoods are
at risk of flooding. This is concluded by a report by the engineer William Eduardo Cortés Peña, which
took into account the return periods from the rivers Oro and Frío, as well as the probability of a flood
occurring in the sectors located near the channels of these water sources, determining that a total of
310 hectares of the metropolitan area are in a high threat and 374 hectares in average threat by
overflows.

Highlighting that in 2005 there was an emergency due to the winter wave, for which several mitigation
works were built, the report revealed that there are still several sectors at risk from a possible flood
from the rivers and streams already mentioned, estimating that 4% of the city may be affected today,
while for a period of 10 years, 16% of the neighborhoods will be at risk. Where the majority of the
neighborhoods with some type of threat are in the urban area of Giron, since there are 75 of the 102
communities in danger, in that locality there are 221 hectares in high threat by flood and 48 in average
threat, which corresponds to 7,689 buildings located in a high threat and 1,800 buildings in medium
threat.

At the same time, in the municipality of Bucaramanga 84 hectares were identified within the urban
perimeter in a high and medium threat, affecting 826 buildings. The areas that are most likely to be
affected are the Café Madrid and Villas de San Ignacio, where hundreds of families have invaded
floodplain areas and are located by less than 50 meters from the Rio de Oro. Floridablanca has 18
residential sectors at risk of flood by the Cold River, whereas in Piedecuesta are seven the populations
that are under this situation of danger.

Emphasizing within the report the citizenship care with regard to bridges, which recommends
intervening several bridges or bateas, which have a high or medium risk of being affected by the floods
of the rivers Frío and Oro, Entre Piedecuesta and the Sector of Bahondo in Giron, there are seven
structures that must be modified, since their roads can be overcome by floods. On the other hand,
between Bahondo and the river Suratá there are seven bridges that are recommended to demolish, by
the high risk they present.

Posted by: JUAN CARLOS CHIO

Sunday 16 April 2017 - 12:01 AM