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The passage of Hurricane Iota through the San Andrés archipelago seriously affected the island’s inhabitants. However, Providencia was the area that got the worst of it.
Here we show you some photographs of what the island of Providencia was like before the devastating Iota pass and what is the state of some places at the moment.
Since Saturday, November 14, the authorities indicated that they were on high alert. The Government of San Andrés y Providencia decreed a curfew measure in the archipelago with the intention of reducing the impact of Iota.
(You may also be interested in: ‘The tourist services in San Andrés still active’: Duque).
Measures were issued to restrict maritime activity and the Civil Aeronautics informed that it would close indefinitely El Embrujo, which is the Providencia airport.
Street near the Providencia and Santa Catalina Mayor’s Office.
Last Sunday, November 15, Norberto Gary Hooker, mayor of Providencia and Santa Catalina, said that he was still in the crisis room to keep up with the progress of the hurricane. He asked citizens to take shelter in their homes or in shelters.
(You can read: ‘We do not want to evacuate the island of Providencia’).
During the early hours of Monday, November 16, the Providencia community reported roofless houses and floods in various sectors. At first, the authorities reported that there were only material losses.
Facade of the Sol Caribe Providencia hotel
Around 4:30 am, and after making its first big impact in Providencia, Iota became a category four hurricane, “with maximum sustained winds of 230 kilometers per hour and a minimum central pressure estimated at 933 millibars“, according to the report of the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam).
(You can also read: Hoteliers in San Andrés claim the return of tourists).
Seven hours later, Iota went to category five on his way to Central America. “Extremely dangerous winds and life-threatening storm surge are expected along the northeast coast of Nicaragua and eastern Honduras,” the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in a bulletin on Monday.
Supermarket close to the Mayor’s Office of Providencia and Santa Catalina.
Meanwhile, and while the Colombian Government and the Air Force prepared emergency food and non-food humanitarian assistance for San Andrés, Providencia was cut off from the rest of the country for 15 hours. Panorama that unleashed great uncertainty.
(See also: The amount donated to victims of Hurricane Congress Iota).
In the morning hours of Monday, November 17, President Iván Duque managed to communicate with Norberto Gari Hooker, who gave him the first reports.
The president mentioned the death of an unidentified person and an impairment in 98% of the infrastructure Providencia.
Providencia airport control tower.
After practically leaving the island devastated, in addition to the damage in San Andrés, Iota headed to Central America, reducing his strength more and more. The same morning of the 17th the tropical storm warning for San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina was withdrawn, although the rains continued.
(See also: Providencia ceased to exist as it was known).
The medical coordinator of the local Providencia hospital informed Yudy Gallego, director of the San Andrés Hospital, in a call that there was nowhere to attend to the wounded.
Providencia was left without a hospital.
The Local Hospital of Providencia was completely destroyed.
As the emergency subsided stories of some survivors met the hurricane. Some had to hide in toilets while the disaster passed.
(Also: They activate a plan to rebuild the headquarters of the Prosecutor’s Office in San Andrés).
President Duque, who arrived in Providencia on the afternoon of Monday, November 16, to arrange humanitarian aid for the victims, assured that “It is the first time that a Category 5 hurricane has reached the country“.
The arrival of Iván Duque to Providencia – El Embrujo Airport
The unprecedented tragedy left some 5,000 people in the midst of a veritable humanitarian crisis.
(You can read also: Liberal Party sent its first aid to San Andres and Providencia).
“What about Providencia is a total destruction because all the houses are destroyed. If here there were 2,000 houses they will have to build 2,000 new because they all were, including hotels and inns “, were the words of Carlos Archbold Corpus, inhabitant of the island, to this newspaper.
Posada Seven Colors Ocean
In Agua Dulce, recognized as the most touristic area of Providencia, most of the hotels and inns were completely destroyed.
(You may also be interested in: Video: during a hurricane, inhabitants took refuge in bathrooms).
The airport also lost an important part of its structure. Dozens of people are waiting there for the possibility of boarding one of the humanitarian flights to San Andrés.
Providencia aerial view
(You may be interested: New images showing magnitude of the disaster in Providence).
Currently, the National Government and the Mayor’s Office of Providencia are present and are in charge of bringing food and shelter to the inhabitants. However, Ronny Suárez, special envoy of EL TIEMPO covering the incident, assured in one of his reports that “a lot is missing” to cover all the needs of the population.
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