Rising Cauca River threatens La Mojana Sucreña - Other Cities - Colombia

The heavy rains that have hit various regions of the country in recent weeks caused a new alert in the La Mojana subregion due to new floods in the sector known as ‘cat’s face’.

In this area, located in San Jacinto del Cauca, Bolívar, reconstruction work is being carried out on a hole to prevent flooding in the 11 municipalities included in the departments of Sucre, Bolívar, Córdoba and Antioquia.

(Also: They would have murdered her to steal her new truck in Barranquilla)

However, the rains caused the Cauca river to have a sudden rise of 1.90 meterswhich caused alert and concern in this area of ​​the country, since the works were affected.

The first complaints from the residents indicated that the works, which have been going on for more than five months, had collapsed.

This situation occurred at the same time that the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), in charge of the work, announced that the union of the southern end and the northern end of a 1,234 m jarillón had been carried out. in length, a key step for this emergency mitigation work.

“The megabags were moved from the place of closure and a space of approximately 40 to 50 meters was opened again, in addition, the power lines located in the sector were demolished, leaving Guaranda without electricity,” said Arcesio Paredes, a resident of San Jacinto del Cauca.

(Read: More than 3 thousand families affected in Chocó by heavy rains)

However, from the UNGRD they clarify that this situation does not mean that the works have collapsed. Although they acknowledge that a rise of 1.90 meters was not expected, which caused the water to exceed the level at the time of the work, this was not the final level.

In other words, after closing the points, which was what was achieved this week, The next step is to increase the level to avoid damages after a flood like the one that occurred this week.

“We are on the ground and we have never stopped working on the construction site. We will continue working on this stream until the level is above the levels of the Cauca River so that the water does not exceed the structure, thus mitigating the impact of the floods in the entire La Mojana region. The Unit team met yesterday with the communities and authorities in the area to jointly continue these works, which by their very nature are complex. Our commitment to the communities continues”, assured the director of the UNGRD, Eduardo José González.

For the communities surrounding the ‘cat face’ sector, it is necessary to wait for the levels of the Cauca River to drop before resuming the closure works and once again solving the situation that has arisen.

“If it continues to rain and the river grows, we will be headed for a new emergency due to flooding. We trust that this is not the case and that the closure in this place is a reality,” Paredes said.

In addition, for leaders of the La Mojana region, the closure with the megabags is not enough to conclude the work in this critical point of the region.

(You may be interested: False officials swindled $2,800 million in Cartagena courts)

They say that a dredging job must be done in the place and on an island that was formed in front of ‘cat’s face’, in addition to building a garden in the back of where the Risk Unit carried out the work.

In fact, yesterday the dredging work began in this sector, reported the UNGRD
“This is just the beginning. The definitive closure in the place is with the completion of the complementary works”, the leaders of the region have stated.

To continue with the work, there are seven crawler backhoes, eight dump trucks, a dredger and two boats with the required machinery in the area.

NATION AND SINCELEJO

Russian Space Agency Chief Threatens to End Cooperation Over Western Sanctions

The head of Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, is again threatening to end service to the International Space Station, saying Russia will stop supplying rocket engines to the United States and may curtail cooperation on the station in retaliation for Western sanctions against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. NASA says operations on the orbiting observatory are normal.

In an interview with Russian state television Thursday, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said, considering the situation, “We can’t supply the United States with our world’s best rocket engines. Let them fly on something else, their broomsticks, I don’t know what.”

Rogozin said Russia has delivered 122 RD-180 engines to the U.S. since the 1990s, of which 98 have been used to power Atlas launch vehicles. The Washington Post said the engines are also used by United Launch Alliance, the joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing to launch national security missions for the Pentagon.

Russia said it would cut off the supply of the RD-181 engines used in Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket, which is used to fly cargo and supplies to the International Space Station.

Projects with Germans scrapped

Rogozin tweeted Thursday that Russian cosmonauts would not cooperate with Germany on joint experiments on the Russian segment of the ISS. Roscosmos will conduct them independently. He went on to say the “Russian space program will be adjusted against the backdrop of sanctions; the priority will be the creation of satellites in the interests of defense.”

Earlier in the week, in another interview with state television, Rogozin noted Russia is responsible for space station navigation, as well as fuel deliveries to the orbiting lab. He said Roscosmos “will closely monitor the actions of our American partners and, if they continue to be hostile, we will return to the question of the existence of the International Space Station.”

Russia had announced earlier that it was suspending cooperation with Europe on space launches from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana in response to Western sanctions.

Cooperation in space has traditionally avoided politics, and when asked about the situation Tuesday during a meeting of the NASA Advisory Council, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, “Despite the challenges here on Earth, and they are substantial …. NASA continues the working relationship with all our international partners to ensure their safety and the ongoing safe operations of the ISS.”

Some information for this report came from Reuters.

Magdalena River threatens to overflow in Honda- Tolima - Other Cities - Colombia

Since mid-February, the Magdalena River as it passes through the municipality of Honda, Tolima, has been gradually increasing its flow due to heavy rains, which has alerted the neighborhoods and villages located on the banks of this tributary.

“On days of permanent rains we have had a worrying level above 7 meters, which puts about 10 neighborhoods and villages on alert,” said César Santana, fire commander at Honda, who clarified that, so far, “the river it has not overflowed and its flow remains stable”.

He pointed out that the overflow occurs when the level exceeds 8 meters, which brings emergencies due to flooding in the homes of the Panchigua, Bodega Sur neighborhoods and Pacho Mario Avenue, which is almost above the tributary and where numerous fishermen reside.

Inhabitants of Pacho Mario Avenue pointed out that “we are afraid because the rains increase the flow, and if it continues to rain as much as possible, there will be floods.”

“In March it has rained day and night and at any moment we are going to have floods in our homes,” said the fishermen.

Other neighborhoods with the possibility of flooding due to rains are La Magdalena, Planadas, Caracolí, Libertador, La Bujona, Santa Lucía, Santa Bárbara and Pueblo Nuevo, as well as the villages of El Mesuno and Perico.

In winter seasons, Honda also has difficulties due to the flooding of the Padilla ravine and the Gualí river, which, last February, caused severe damage to the La Picota spa, one of the most visited by tourists.

This year the Padilla creek has overflowed twice causing damage to homes and crops in some villages.

FABIO ARENAS
FOR TOLIMA WEATHER

Trucker-Led Protest Threatens Business in Canada, US

A trucker-led protest of coronavirus vaccine mandates that is blocking traffic at a key bridge linking the United States and Canada picked up urgency as it threatens to dampen business activity in both countries.

The protesters, who are demanding an end to Canada’s coronavirus restrictions, have blockaded the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit, Michigan, in the U.S. and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, bringing central Ottawa to a halt. The blockade prevented traffic from entering Canada Wednesday, but U.S.-bound traffic continued.

Trucks transport about 25% of all trade between the two countries across the bridge, much of which is linked to the automobile sector.

Canadian authorities have said they are increasingly concerned about the economic effects of the protest, which is inspiring similar protests in France, Australia and New Zealand.

FILE – Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Feb. 9, 2022.

“Blockages, illegal demonstrations are unacceptable, and are negatively impacting businesses and manufacturers,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned as he addressed the House of Commons Wednesday.

While the mayor of Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, declared a state of emergency Wednesday because of demonstrations there, police warned in a statement that protesters “must immediately cease further unlawful activity or you may face charges.”

FILE – People walk past parked trucks on Wellington Street during a demonstration against COVID-19 restrictions at Parliament House in Ottawa, Canada, on Jan. 29, 2022.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday the Biden administration was in close contact with Canadian officials and voiced concern the blockade could also affect the U.S. economy as it “poses a risk to supply chains, to the auto industry.”

Ford Motor Company spokesman Said Deep said Thursday the blockade has forced the automaker to reduce operations at its Ontario province plants in Oakville and Windsor, according to The New York Times.

On Wednesday, Toyota spokesman Scott Vazin said the company will not be able to manufacture anything at three Canadian plants for the rest of this week because of the blockade.

Shortages due to the blockade also forced General Motors to cancel the second shift of the day Wednesday at a factory near Lansing, Michigan, in the U.S. GM spokesman Dan Flores said Wednesday the factory was expected to reopen on Thursday.

The blockade, which began nearly two weeks ago, has prompted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to issue a warning that a convoy of truckers could begin protests as early as this weekend in Los Angeles, California, the site of the National Football League’s Super Bowl, according to multiple reports.

CNN reports that DHS issued a bulletin to U.S. law enforcement agencies informing them the convoy would probably begin protests in California as early as mid-February and make their way across the U.S. to Washington as late as mid-March.

Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse, The Associated Press, and Reuters.

Erosion threatens the drinking water service in Salamina, Magdalena - Other Cities - Colombia

The Magdalena River is just 400 meters from causing the collapse of the entire drinking water collection and treatment system that feeds the municipality of Salamina.

Despite the grave fallout that would leave the population with a possible damage to the aqueduct, the resources with which the megaproject established in the master plan to stop the erosion that threatens this area of ​​the department have not yet been disbursed.

(Also: Five children and one adult missing after boat crash in Bolívar)

While they wait for the management and procedures of the National Government for the start of works, the inhabitants remain in complete anxiety because the Magdalena River is getting closer to the urban sector.

The region could be damaged
irreversible by the current of the river

The erosion began between kilometers 2.0 and 2.4 of the Piñón road; however, over time it has aggressively approached Salamina, and the danger and possible effects increase

The municipal official, Carlos Mario de la Cruz reported that after the current of the river destroyed the land where the ferry port worked, and affected river transport, the next service that is at risk of collapsing is that of drinking water.

“The erosion began between kilometers 2.0 and 2.4 of the Piñón road; however, over time it has aggressively approached Salamina, and the danger and the possible effects increase,” de la Cruz said.

(Also: Three members of a family were murdered in Angostura (Antioquia))

The representative of the entity of the Public Ministry, warned that in a period of no more than three months the water collection plant, considered the most stable and with the best coverage of the Magdalena, could suffer irreversible damage due to the current of the River.

“If the municipal aqueduct collapses due to this natural phenomenon, the more than 11 inhabitants of Salamina will stop receiving the precious liquid in their homes, which will mean a serious emergency for the town,” said the personero.
He added that “the first thing that would end up in the water would be the elevated tank and then the whole plant.”

This is a very serious situation and those who have dismissed it have had to see their words taken away by Rio itself and the erosive phenomenon.

Carlos Mario de la Cruz, lamented that this problem continues not to be given the relevance it requires, despite the fact that since it began to appear to date, the effects have been quite visible.

“This is a very serious situation and those who have dismissed it have had to see their words taken away by Rio itself and the erosive phenomenon,” said de la Cruz.

(You may be interested in: Threats against social leaders in Cesar tarnish the electoral campaign)

Attorney General asks the Nation to appropriate resources

The Attorney General’s Office asked the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit to appropriate the budget for more than $95,000 million so that the stabilization and protection works of the right bank of the Magdalena River, contemplated in the Master plan, can be executed.

(You may be interested in: Millionaire reward for perpetrators of car bomb attack in Cauca)

The Public Ministry warned about “the imperative need to execute the proposed works given the current and imminent threat to the life, property and integrity of the citizens of Salamina and El Piñón.”

For this reason, the control entity required to allocate more quickly the resources requested by the Ministry of Transportation so that the works can be carried out without trauma as soon as possible, taking advantage of the current dry season.

By Roger Urieles
For THE WEATHER Santa Marta
@rogeruv

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Elections 2022 | Violence threatens the presidential and legislative elections - Other Cities - Colombia

The week that ended left many concerns regarding public order in the country, ahead of the campaign for Congress and the Presidency of the Republic.

An indigenous leader was assassinated in the Cauca. They also killed a social leader in Arauca and a day later his wife in full wake. In Bonaventure, more than 700 families had to move to Cali due to threats from illegal groups. And, as if that were not enough, between Wednesday and Saturday there were 12 attacks in seven departments, which were, for the most part, against the Public Force, but they also attacked a United Nations entourage in Guaviare and the governor of Caquetá, Arnulfo Gasca.

(Also: With an attack on the governor of Caquetá, attacks continue during the campaign).

This escalation of violence, attributed to the FARC dissidents and the Eln guerrillas, took place in Cesar, Valle del Cauca, Cauca, Antioch, Guaviare, Norte de Santander and Caquetá. The events left at least 30 members of the Public Force injured, as well as two police officers and a military officer dead.

The last attack happened on Saturday, around 5:30 in the afternoon, when the FARC dissidents they activated an explosive device against a delegation in which the governor of Caquetá was traveling.

(Also read: They attack the caravan in which the governor of Caquetá was mobilized).

They want to play a role in these elections, either to intimidate and to try to cause the next government to kneel before them

There, patrolmen William Echeverría and Miguel Bernal were killed, and five other uniformed officers were wounded. “It makes me sad that this has happened, that two policemen have been killed on my feet. The explosive act, there was not even a distance of 100 meters from where I came from, it could have been much more serious,” said the governor.

President Ivan Duke, who rejected the attack, assured yesterday that the country “will not bow to terrorism” and added: “We will continue to fight with determination” against “criminal structures.”

(In context: What is behind the attacks of the Eln and the dissidences to the Public Force).

Although these events are not directly related to the March and May elections, according to analysts, they are happening during the campaign, so the authorities, as well as candidates and political parties, are on high alert because they are undoubtedly a threat. for the elections and for Colombian democracy.

According to analysis of helpless and the Cerac, this escalation of violence last week occurs not necessarily because we are close to elections, but rather it goes with the dynamics of the conflict in our country and the war that illegal groups are sustaining, such as the Eln, the FARC dissidents and the ‘Gulf clan’.

And to that is added a union of dissidences under the command of a new secretariat, as published yesterday by EL TIEMPO.

(Keep reading: Social leader and his wife murdered in Arauca had no threats).

PT Héctor Leonardo Cante, one of the victims of the dissidence attack in Caquetá, is a hero and example of service. Even with his injuries, he says he wants to recover to continue protecting Colombians from the @GrupoPONALSAR. A token of the honor of being a police officer pic.twitter.com/LNiKK2pTCv

– Diego Molano Aponte (@Diego_Molano) January 30, 2022

Also, say intelligence reports, the The n It intends to show that it is militarily strengthened so that the next president can analyze a possible negotiation, since the current government has insisted that the doors are closed.

In fact, Duque stated last week that “they want to play a role in these elections, either to intimidate and to try to encourage the next government to kneel before them.”

Alexandra Barrios, director of the Electoral Observation Mission (EOM), points out that there is special concern because these acts of violence are taking place, mainly, in places where the peace seats will be disputed (see note below), key to the Cuba agreements.

(In other news: Rejection of councilor who had InDriver platform driver fined).

In Pailitas, Cesar, the tranquility of many inhabitants is altered after last week’s attack.

“The iconic example of what escalating violence means in this country is last week. If anyone has misunderstood or thinks it’s a catchphrase, last week shows exactly what that means. Later, let’s see what the impact is,” said Barrios.

Regarding the relationship with the electoral issue, the director maintains that it cannot be affirmed that there is a plan among all these groups to destabilize the campaign, but, in short, there is an impact and more anxiety is generated in the territories.
He gives as an example that in Arauca and Cauca, practically, it is not possible to campaign.

(Also: I made a mistake, but your approach was vile: InDriver driver).

In the words of Leon Valencia, director of the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation, it is also necessary to be alert to electoral violence in which candidates unite with illegal groups: “Actions of illegal forces are mixed against candidates in favor of or in collusion with their rivals, the protagonism of mafias and heirs of the paramilitaries at this point are growing. There have been 97 acts of violence in this field in recent months.

This is why both authorities and parties must be alert and guarantee the transparency of the elections and that citizens can exercise their right to vote without any pressure.

NATION WRITING
On Twitter: @ColombiaET

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