About 70 homes in Ibagué were completely destroyed - Photo: F. Espinoza
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Early May saw torrential rains in the city of Ibagué in the Colombian province of Tolima make mountain slopes slide and produce mudslides. Eleven people died and a total of 3,800 people were affected by the natural disaster.
"The people's situation is dire", reported one of the co-workers of SOS Children's Villages Colombia. "Many have lost their homes, some of them even some family members. We were told that some people, among them children, were not able to leave their homes in time and were buried by mud. People are shocked and need a lot of support".
Distribution of emergency relief packages to families in need - Photo: F. Espinoza
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SOS Children's Village Ibagué has distributed food packages, medicines (especially for pregnant women and small children), kitchen supplies, mattresses and blankets to 40 families and 120 children. The organisation will be monitoring the families' situation over the coming weeks, and there will be further support provided by SOS Children's Villages should the need arise.