New tropical wave could affect a large part of the country, warns Ideam

The Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam) of Colombia warned, this Monday, November 9, 2020, that a new tropical wave is approaching with strong winds, abundant rains and waves above normal, which may affect several departments of the country and the insular region to the west of the Caribbean Sea.

Ideam informed the National Disaster Risk Management System (Sngrd) and the National Environmental System (Sina) about a new tropical wave that will enter the national territory that brings significant cloud cover, electric shocks and locally strong winds which, according to the forecasts, it has a 50% probability of reaching the category of tropical cyclone in the country.

The Institute recommended particular attention to national risk and environmental management systems by increased rainfall, wave height and wind intensity in the Colombian Caribbean, especially in the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, which suffered the blow of Hurricane Eta and the department of La Guajira.

In turn, Ideam reported that rains are expected to increase in various regions of the country such as the Orinoquía, the Caribbean, the Andean region and the center and north of the PacificTherefore, it is essential to pay attention to hillside areas before the “probability of sudden floods or landslides.

In particular, the departments of Magdalena, Bolívar, Córdoba, Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Valle del Cauca, Quindío, Atlántico, Chocó, Sucre, La Guajira, Antioquia, Casanare, western Arauca, Caldas, Meta, Risaralda, Santander, Norte de Santander and Cesar, could be affected.

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For its part, the Ideam also mentioned some recommendations for the community as well as the attention to the information and the communications issued by this institute and the municipal and local emergency authorities, as well as attending the recommendations and indications of the emergency and response agencies and the control entities.

To himself, he suggests that the community share and dispose with relatives and neighbors telephone numbers of municipal response agencies, and a primary attention to the state of the local aqueducts and the importance of preventive maintenance.

Finally, the Ideam recommends having a backpack or briefcase with a copy of the identity documents of each member of the family, canned food, water, spare clothing, a flashlight, battery-operated radio and a whistle.

This Monday, November 9, the Bogotá Council approved the project to declare a climate emergency for the capital, which means that this emergency is recognized as a “priority matter of public management”.

Among the points raised by this initiative, a concrete waste management plan in the city is sought, as well as the closure of the Doña Juana sanitary landfill to the southeast of the capital, in the same way it is intended to reduce effect gases in the next 10 years greenhouse by 50% and recognize climate change as an environmental determinant for land use planning and special care for water.

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