Very large landslide hits Colombia’s Cauca Department, destroying 64 homes
A very large landslide destroyed the communities of Parraga Viejo, Santa Clara, La Soledad and Chontaduro in Colombia’s Cauca Department on January 9, 2023. Luckily, growing cracks started appearing several days before the landslide, alerting communities about the risk.
On January 9, 2023, a massive landslide hit the town of Rosas in Colombia’s Cauca Department, destroying several communities in its path.
The slide, approximately 850 m (2 790 feet) wide and 900 m (2 950 feet) long, affected over 700 people and completely destroyed 64 homes. President Gustavo Petro reported that 164 families have been evacuated to shelters.1
The landslide also had a significant impact on infrastructure, destroying more than 500 m (1 640 feet) of the Pan American Highway between Popayán and Pasto.
In response, authorities are working to establish both short-term and long-term measures to restore connectivity in the affected area.
President Pedro also announced plans for a billion-dollar investment project in the region to create a new path away from the tectonic plate believed to have caused the collapse.
The president also stated that a plan will be established for the purchase of farms near the area that would allow for the relocation of the affected communities, and that each family will be left with more land than they had before the emergency for the production of food with the help of the state.
The same area was hit by a soil avalanche on April 21, 2019, claiming the lives of 33 people.
This recent disaster highlights the need for ongoing monitoring and risk management in the region to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
References:
1 Derrumbe en Rosas, Cauca: por razones climáticas, Gustavo Petro no pudo llegar dialogar con las comunidades afectadas – infobae – January 10, 2023
Featured image credit: Alexander López Maya
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