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Colombia: Flood in Mocoa
The population of Mocoa in Colombia was hit by the worst tragedy in 454 years of its history. Mocoa is the capital city of Putumayo, an area Southwest of Colombia in South America.
During the month of March, it rained abundantly and particularly on the night of Friday, March 31, 2017. At two in the morning of Saturday, April 1, the inhabitants of Mocoa were struck by the worst tragedy in the 454 years of its history. The three main rivers that cross it, had dragged thousands of tons of mud in seventeen zones and that of San Miguel was completely submerged by mud together with all its inhabitants. There are 254 dead and more than 200 wounded in the last official report on the victims.
From the moment the tragedy happened, the military and the police of the area began rescuing from the mud hundreds of people who were still alive.
"The mudslide carried everything away: buildings, machines, bridges. We are really isolated", affirms Sorel Aroca, the first authority of the region. The Governor said that the city lacks gas, there is no more water, or electricity, and it will take many days to put everything in place. In addition, some incoming and outgoing streets are blocked because of the huge quantity of soil, mud, trees, and machines destroyed by the flood waters.
The President, Juan Manuel Santos, went to the scene of the tragedy and declared a state of emergency in the whole region. The State immediately brought the basic necessities to the stricken people: food, water, clothing, more than 3,000 blankets and mattresses. President Santos has placed a subsidy of two hundred fifty thousand pesos to be distributed during the first three months to the families hit.
The FMA are present in Colombia in the South of the Country near the area of Putumayo. They were not hit by this tragedy but immediately acted, sensitizing the educating community to respond with generosity to the needs of the nearby population.
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