The director of the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam), Ghislaine Echeverry, said that the arrival of tropical waves towards the Caribbean Region increases rainfall, a situation worsened by the Amazonian trough of low pressures, which is a system that generates rain and also impacts the Andean region and Chocó.

The expert pointed out that this department has been characterized for having high levels of humidity during almost the whole year, but at this moment there is also rainfall in other regions, increasing river levels.

However, the situation is difficult there due to the deteriorated infrastructure of the region after decades of neglect by successive administrations.

In the opinion of Carlos Carrillo, director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (Ungrd), the Colombian state has been systematically incapable of developing the capacity for the people living there to do so with dignity for centuries.

He also added that, in the face of this emergency, the message to these inhabitants is that they are not alone and that the entity he leads, the Government and other operational institutions are there; that the Armed Forces that are an integral part of this response are ready.

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