Colombia rains leave 174 dead, 1.5 million homeless

[cory777]

Source: AFP

BOGOTA (AFP) – The toll from weeks of heavy rains across Colombia has risen to 174 people dead and over 1.5 million homeless, the Colombian Red Cross said Saturday.

Another 225 people have been injured and 19 were missing, Colombian Red Cross deputy director of operations Cesar Uruena told reporters. A total of 1,821 homes have been damaged or destroyed.

"We've never had this many people affected by the rainy season," he added, noting that the punishing rains were hitting 95 percent of the country.

Some regions, including southwestern Valle del Cauca department, saw more than 12 hours of non-stop rain.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101204/wl_afp/colombiaweatherfloods

---

Breaking News http://activistnews.blogspot.com/

[Mojorabbit]

1. Wow

that is so many people homeless. I hope there will be a place to donate soon. Like the Pakistan floods it seems we are in for it as climate change accelerates.

[InkAddict]

2. Wonder if they kept their powder dry??? n/t

This is bad news for the people of Columbia - How will those growers have the wherewithall to rebuild their abodes???

Sorry, only half-snarky today cause it's the Season....

[lunatica]

3. I lived in Bogota, Colombia when I was 8 years old. The rains must be very bad

because it rains there a lot. Bogota is high above sea level in the mountains and I remember its climate is cool and wet.

[Mojorabbit]

4. It is so sad.

[MinneapolisMatt]

5. How horrible.

:(

[Judi Lynn]

6. There would be several million more Colombians who might take them in, if the Colombian government's

military and paramiltaries hadn't driven them out of their homes, off their land.

Before this last disaster which destroyed the homes of all these victims, Colombia had the LARGEST population of displaced people in the world. Their number has just been increased dramatically.

The U.S. government should make an exception and separate some of the over $500,000,000.00 it gives to Colombia annually and spend it on the POEPLE who really, REALLY need it, instead of beefing up the military's ability to kill more of them.