Colombia declares rainfall disaster after highest rainfall in 40 years
Colombian president Gustavo Petro declared a national rainfall disaster on November 1, 2022, after rainfall levels across the country this year exceeded levels seen in the past 40 years.
The resulting flooding claimed the lives of at least 266 people by November, affected tens of thousands of people, and destroyed crops, aggravating the rising food inflation.
Hundreds of homes were destroyed in just several days at the end of October.
A state of national disaster allows the government to give $100 per month — half the minimum wage — to feed the children in households headed by women, and to subsidize fertilizers used by small-scale farmers, the president said.1
In September, Colombia recorded annual inflation of 11.4% — the highest in 23 years.
Food prices are among those rising the fastest.
References:
1 Colombia declares rainfall disaster – AFP – November 1, 2022
Featured image credit: Colombia Civil Defence
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