Torrential rainfall across Colombia’s Pacific coast and Andean regions has displaced more than 90,000 people, leaving dozens of communities submerged under rising floodwaters. The extreme weather, exacerbated by the start of La Niña, has led to widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage, with no immediate relief in sight as forecasters warn the severe weather pattern is expected to intensify throughout November.
As heavy rains cause rivers to break their banks, Colombia’s westernmost department of Chocó has been especially hard hit, with the lower Río Atrato inundating entire communities of indigenous and Afro-Colombian peoples. In the San Juan basin and Upper Atrato, the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group has declared an “armed strike,” effectively prohibiting all riverine transportation. This declaration by the ELN is hampering humanitarian relief operations for those affected by the severe flooding.
Medellín, the departmental capital of Antioquia, is also facing challenges as heavy rains have increased the risk of landslides and flash floods. With road closures and landslide threats in the western parts of the department, officials in Antioquia are mobilizing efforts to prevent further casualties. The departments of Boyacá, Santander, and Norte de Santander are also experiencing extreme weather conditions, with hailstorms damaging local agriculture.
Amid these crises across Colombia, President Gustavo Petro declared a nationwide state of emergency over the weekend. The government has prioritized Bogotá, La Guajira, and Chocó for emergency relief, citing the severe impact of the floods on these areas. The declaration followed a high-level Unified Command Post (PMU) meeting, in which Petro called for an urgent response to support vulnerable communities facing climate-driven disasters. “The increasing climate variability is exposing our most vulnerable regions to greater risk,” Petro said, adding that the emergency measures aim to facilitate quicker aid distribution and bolster resources in affected areas.
In Chocó, a region with high poverty rates and fragile infrastructure, the impact has been devastating. Official reports estimate that flooding has affected 85% of the department, displacing more than 50,000 families across 25 municipalities. Nubia Carolina Córdoba, Chocó’s governor, declared a six-month state of calamity in response to the widespread devastation, warning that the region lacks adequate resources to withstand a crisis of this scale. In an appeal for humanitarian assistance, the head of Colombia’s National Disaster Risk Management Unit (UNGRD), Carlos Carrillo, urged the ELN guerrilla group to lift restrictions in Chocó to allow aid deliveries. “We ask for a minimum of compassion from the ELN,” Carrillo said, emphasizing the urgency of transporting relief supplies to isolated communities.
Bogotá has also been hard-hit by the ongoing weather crisis. Torrential rains since early last week have flooded parts of the city’s northern sector, including the busy Autopista Norte highway. Emergency responders worked throughout the night of November 6 to evacuate travelers trapped during rush hour on the highway, as well as students stranded inside schools.
Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán has mobilized city officials to assist in drainage and rescue efforts, urging residents to avoid disposing of waste in waterways to prevent clogs in the drainage system. Over the weekend, Galán warned of rising water levels in the Fucha River, a critical waterway that traverses the city from east to west, posing an imminent overflow risk. Galán’s administration is closely monitoring conditions in Bogotá’s wetlands and riverbanks, where overflowing water has caused localized evacuations and heightened public anxiety. “We’re taking all necessary precautions to minimize additional flooding,” Galán said, acknowledging that the emergency response could strain city resources if the rains persist.
As floods and landslides threaten to devastate vulnerable departments, in Santander, the Las Cruces stream led to a flash flood on Monday night near San Vicente de Chucurí, resulting in one death and leaving two people missing. In La Guajira, Colombia’s northernmost department, an estimated 10,000 families have been affected by rare flooding. Local officials fear that infrastructure damage could worsen food scarcity in impoverished regions.
Ghisliane Echeverry, head of Colombia’s meteorological institute, IDEAM, clarified that the extreme rainfall is being driven by a mix of meteorological factors, including tropical depressions over the Caribbean and the Madden-Julian Oscillation. Echeverry also confirmed that 700 communities face risks of mudslides, more than 60% of the nation’s total municipalities.
Severe weather conditions are also affecting operations at airports across Colombia, including Bogotá’s El Dorado. Passengers can expect delays and flight cancellations as storms impact the country.
