Severe floods claim one life, destroy 35 homes in Los Olivares, Colombia
At least one person died and dozens of homes were destroyed or damaged after heavy rains triggered severe floods in Itagüí municipality, Antioquia Department, during the early hours of Monday, May 5, 2025.
Local authorities clearing debris in Los Olivares village, Colombia on Monday, May 5, 2025, after intense flooding in the region. Image credit: Alcadia de Itagui
Heavy rains in the Aburrá Valley triggered severe flooding in the village of Los Olivares after a stream overflowed during the early hours of Monday, May 5.
According to local residents, floodwaters reached waist height in some areas. Sewer systems collapsed, and landslides were reported in multiple parts of the municipality.
Areas such as the Santa María 2 neighborhood and vereda Olivares saw floodwaters sweep away multiple vehicles and carry debris across roads.
A 38-year-old man died while attempting to evacuate his family from the area. At least 35 homes in the village were either completely destroyed or severely damaged by the flooding, which also uprooted trees and triggered debris flows across the region.
Rescue teams transported some of the injured to a nearby clinic, where they continue to receive treatment.
Atendemos la emergencia ocasionada por la avenida torrencial en la vereda Los Olivares. Lamentamos profundamente el fallecimiento de una persona producto de esta tragedia.
— Alcaldía de Itagüí (@AlcaldiaItagui) May 5, 2025
Estaremos en el territorio con todo nuestro equipo de la Alcaldía de Itagüí y los organismos de socorro… pic.twitter.com/xTMKWRuqey
The village of Los Olivares is part of Itagüí municipality, located south of the Aburrá Valley in the Antioquia Department.
#Nacional | Emergencia invernal en Itagüí, #Antioquia: un hombre de 30 años perdió la vida, varias personas resultaron heridas y al menos 35 viviendas quedaron afectadas tras el desbordamiento de la quebrada Los Olivares, ocurrido en la madrugada de este 5 de mayo. pic.twitter.com/zDj7b423qj
— Periodismo Público (@periodispublico) May 5, 2025
Authorities continue to work on clearing the debris from the affected areas, and the full extent of the damage is yet to be assessed.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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