Historic floods in northern Colombia leave 14 dead, 120,000 affected

A severe climate crisis has left northern Colombia reeling as atypical rainfall -- shattering historical records for February -- has triggered a humanitarian emergency.

At least 14 people have died and more than 120,000 have been displaced or affected as heavy floods and landslides devastate the departments of Cordoba, La Guajira, Sucre, Magdalena, Choco and Antioquia.

The scale of the disaster is unprecedented for this time of year. Carlos Carrillo, director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), said that rainfall in Cordoba has surged by a staggering 1,600%.

"These water levels had never been recorded in February, which is typically the region's driest month," Carrillo noted, adding that more than 40,000 hectares (98,842 acres) are currently submerged.

"There is clearly a climate crisis—an exceptional event," he said.

The devastation is widespread, with local infrastructure and health systems pushed to the breaking point.

Cordoba's Governor Erasmo Zuleta confirmed that 80% of the department is underwater. Entire neighborhoods are flooded to the rooftops and vital access routes have been severed.

In La Guajira and Magdalena, continuous rainfall exceeding 12 hours has caused streams to overflow and paralyzed mobility.

Victims in overcrowded shelters are reporting rising cases of gastrointestinal issues, respiratory infections and flu-like symptoms exacerbated by the lack of clean water and sanitation.

Essential supplies including food, mattresses and basic toiletries are in critically short supply as temporary shelters reach full capacity.

In response to the escalating disaster, President Gustavo Petro and his cabinet were scheduled to convene in Monteria on Monday. The administration is considering declaring a state of economic emergency to expedite the delivery of relief funds and resources.

According to the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), the disaster is being driven by an atypical cold front entering from the Caribbean. With rainfall expected to persist across the northern, central and western regions, IDEAM has maintained high-level yellow and red alerts, warning of further flash floods and landslides in at least 16 departments.