As local disaster authorities respond to the mudslides in Mocoa, Colombia, USAID assistance helps provide emergency supplies.

J. Montoya, USAID/OFDA

Key Developments

Heavy rainfall in southwestern Colombia generated a landslide in Putumayo Department’s city of Mocoa on April 1 that resulted in more than 300 deaths, injured more than 400 people, and displaced at least 2,200 people, according to the Government of Colombia (GoC). Following the landslide, the GoC declared a state of emergency in Mocoa and activated emergency personnel to assist in relief efforts, including searching for survivors and evacuating affected people to safety.

As of April 7, the GoC National Unit for Risk and Disaster Management had deployed more than 1,300 response personnel and provided medical equipment, generators, safe drinking water, 2,300 hygiene kits, and other relief commodities to landslide-affected people in Mocoa. The GoC also commissioned two water treatment plants to provide safe drinking water to the city. The Colombian Air Force used two C-130 aircraft to provide air transport for injured people, emergency personnel, and relief supplies. In addition, the Colombian Red Cross deployed a 54-person team to support GoC response efforts, including emergency health care services at a local hospital.

On April 7, U.S. Ambassador to Colombia Kevin Whitaker declared a disaster due to the effects of the landslide in Mocoa. In response, USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance provided $50,000 to a partner organization to support the distribution of water, sanitation, and hygiene relief commodities to affected populations.

Background

Armed conflict and natural disasters—including earthquakes, floods, and fires—have resulted in ongoing internal displacement and humanitarian needs in Colombia in recent years. The UN estimated that 2.4 million people in Colombia experienced limited freedom of movement and hindered access to basic services as a result of armed violence and recurring natural disasters in 2015. USAID/OFDA typically works with national and local government officials and humanitarian actors, such as non-governmental organizations and UN agencies, to meet humanitarian needs and complement government relief efforts. In addition to direct disaster assistance, USAID/OFDA supports ongoing disaster risk reduction activities and capacity-building initiatives for disaster response in Colombia and the larger South America region.