At 6:20 in the morning of this February 8, a slope of land that fell on the Otún river destroyed at least six houses, leaving -at the moment- 16 dead and is the cause of one of the largest natural tragedies in The Department of Risaralda. But she is not the only one who has lived in the apartment in this area.
Six blocks below where this tragedy occurred, between 33rd and 34th streets and Avenida del Río in Pereira, In 1976, a similar event occurred that left 80 dead.. And 50 years earlier, in 1926, there was another similar tragedy. A few meters below where the railway was, another landslide killed many people. Press clippings from El Diario, at that time, speak of ‘innumerable deaths’.
Repeating the cycle almost every 50 years, Pereira and Dosquebradas relive the inclemencies of nature in flesh and life. According to what was reported by the risk management authorities, the trigger for the collapse was “a rupture in the ditch channel that, when it collapsed, generated an accumulation and constant flow of water towards the hillside.”
Some people point out that what happened was predictable, because of their background. However, Juan Mauricio Castaño, professor at the Technological University of Pereira and member of the Risaralda Hydroclimatological Network and the Early Warning System, went further and assured that it was, but that there were multiple factors.
Three similar tragedies have occurred in this sector of the Otún River with intervals of between 45 and 50 years. These catastrophes have claimed more than 100 lives.
“The configuration of threats of landslides, floods or other circumstances, combined with people located in unsuitable areas, are input to say that the disaster is probable. Thus, if one looks for guilt, it must be extended to the creation of cities, because have done on hillsides, not only Dosquebradas and Pereira, many in the region and the country,” said the teacher.That probability was clearly identified after the avalanche of 1976. At that time, 1,800 families were relocated, but over time others arrived.
This is how the newspaper El Diario recorded the third anniversary of the Otún River tragedy in 1926.
People forget the tragedies and take the risks, they live there thinking that it will not happen again, but it is the responsibility of the authorities to exercise control to protect them
“After that tragedy, the Risaralda Regional Autonomous Corporation (Carder) was born. Its main function was to solve the critical problems of the river. Between the 1980s and 1990s, 150 million dollars were obtained to relocate 1,800 families, stabilize slopes and others, several neighborhoods were created as a result. But it didn’t last,” said Ernesto Zuluaga, director of Carder at the time.
Over the years, Zuluaga maintains, Carder took on new responsibilities and what happened to the river became one of many issues.
“I find it unfortunate that the controls disappeared. People forget the tragedies and take the risks, they live there thinking that it will not happen again, but it is the responsibility of the authorities to exercise control to protect them,” added Zuluaga.
This is what the area looks like this February 9, without the rain.
For his part, the current director of the Carder, Julio Gómez, pointed out: “Unfortunately, the illegal constructions that are on the hillside make it discharge its sewage. A slope of almost 90 degrees, with rain, sewage and farming activities has all the conditions to cause a phenomenon like this“said the official.
Gómez commented that the municipal administrations, in this case those of Pereira and Dosquebradas, are responsible for preventing illegal settlements.
“It is a difficult issue, because everyone reacts to an eviction. It is complex and the municipalities do not have the resources. When these tragedies arrive, we begin to look for those responsible without recognizing that it is a sum of errors and a historical accumulation of omissions from various parties. Gomez noted.
The community was not unaware of the risk of the collapse occurring, but they assure that they have no other options to locate themselves.
“The million dollar question is how we live now with that fear, but one cannot leave because: where? We would have to go to pay rent and the government does not help with anything. This was an invasion 60 years ago, and since then they have been relocating us,” said Pedro Lugo, an inhabitant of the sector who lost all his business and part of his house.
The tragedy was caused by a saturation of the land after more than 12 hours of rain.
At one point they did talk about moving through the floodwaters of the river, but that has been quiet for a long time
In addition, the communities assure that they had noticed some changes in the slope, and some feared the worst, which finally ended up happening.
María Camila Restrepo, a resident of the sector, pointed out that in recent days they had seen a crack, but many did not pay attention to it. She too, she talked about a relocation that they were promised and that has never come. “At one point they did talk about moving through the floodwaters of the river, but that has been quiet for a long time,” she added.
In this regard, the Pereira Mayor’s Office indicated that since 2020 they are working to recover the territory. “We have made, from 2020 to date, 131 urban control visits and we have recovered 283 meters. This, added to the Otún river boardwalk project, a project that includes in one of its phases the relocation of families in the area they said.
Now, after the tragedy, they announced support for those affected. “In Pereira we evacuated 15 houses to avoid the risks. From now on we will give support to temporary shelters or hotels. Of course we think, in the long term, in a process of relocating these families,” said Mayor Carlos Maya.
Winter tragedy in Risaralda left 16 dead and 34 injured..
For its part, the Mayor’s Office of Dosquebradas, where the La Esneda neighborhood was affected, indicated that in 2021 71 relocation processes were carried out and that they hope to continue with them this year.
“The national government is going to help us with leases and other aid. We are going to continue knocking on doors to be able to transfer the 52 families that we have to evacuate in this sector“added Mayor Diego Ramos.
Meanwhile, the National Risk Management Unit (UNGRD) said yesterday that they will also provide long-term support.
“Complementary works and studies will come to the channel that passes above. We are going to jointly start studies for the intervention. In addition, with a view to the future, we will review the relocation of families, which these studies will tell us,” said the director of the UNGRD Eduardo Jose Gonzalez.
They are only taking a census of where there was damage or they are already dead; that they also help those of us who are alive
Finally, Angelly Granadas, a resident of the sector on 30th Street, demands that the support also be for surrounding areas that are also at high risk, not only in the affected houses.
“At this time, We are in a very difficult situation, we have children, we are mothers who are heads of households and we have not received help from the Mayor’s Office because they have not surveyed us, according to them, we are not in a high-risk sector. They are only taking a census of where there was damage or they are already dead; that they also help those of us who are alive,” said the woman.
Grenada added that he hopes they will be relocated soon and avoid further tragedies. “This already happened 50 years ago and you (Government) cannot let there be another tragedy to act there,” he noted.
Continue the search for possible survivors in the area
At this time, search and rescue efforts continue for missing persons at the scene. Relief agencies reported that there are two missing persons in Pereira and another two in Dosquebradas. The Minister of the Interior, Daniel Palacio, will visit the emergency zone this morning.
Although there is still no census of the victims, seven families are housed in a school near the area where the tragedy occurred.
LAURA USMA CARDONA
Special for WEATHER in PEREIRA
On twitter: @Laurau_C
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