Cities are without Food and Water

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Yesterday, I mentioned the flooding that much of Colombia is experiencing. However, I did not mention a situation that is beginning to get worse with the passage of time. This situation is very critical. Right now, many cities and towns have been isolated by the flooding with the roads leading to these towns having flooded. Many of these roads are still under water, others have been completely destroyed or buried by landslides. This is preventing food from reaching people in the cities. Store shelves are empty.

Additionally, the flooding of the rivers Pamplonita and Zulia in Cucuta (the capital of the department of Norte Santander) has destroyed the city's water purification plant. Now, citizens are surrounded by water, but none of it is potable. There are 27 trucks trying to fill the water needs of 600,000 people, which is simply not enough. The citizens are greatly suffering in the near 90 degree humid climate. Even the hospitals are closed because there is no water.

Right now, the only way to help the people of Cucuta would be to enter emergency supplies into the area by way of Venezuela -- you know Colombia's "good friend" to the East. Diplomats are trying to see if they can accomplish this.

While Cucuta is the largest city in this situation, it is not the only one. Many smaller cities and towns in many of the Departments are also now completely isolated and can only be reached by boat.

http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/oriente/invierno-en-colombia-cucuta-esta-incomunicada_9230501-4

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