"The water was not time for anything, there was no way to put something in the highlands. Increased reached in 15 minutes and mattresses, furniture. All. The only thing I thought was to back up the son and wife. We agreed with we wear. This is the total despair. "

It is the testimony of Alex Garcia, a painter of furniture 65 minutes lost in a refrigerator, TV, furniture, sound equipment, consignment, mattresses and even their clothes. A drama that was repeated in each house about 50 blocks from the North and Petecuy Calimío neighborhoods in the northeast of Cali.

The whole sector was turned into a vast lake of sewage and rain as a result of the intense two-day downpour in Cali.

Children on their shoulders, elderly relatives or neighbors evacuated, people trapped in the second floor with dogs, cats and even chickens, dozens of cars completely submerged, makeshift boats made of plastic containers guaduas was tied to the overall picture in the sector.



It is estimated that more than a thousand families were affected in these two neighborhoods located between the East canal and river Cauca. The channel includes five sewage pipes that cross the eastern Cali and yesterday was dammed as a result of the high level of Cauca, 8:40 feet when it reached a month ago, in summer, it was 3:50.


Luis Fernando Murillo, head of operations of the Fire scored Calimío critical situation. "Everything is flooded, not saved anything. Hundreds of families lost their belongings. We are helping to evacuate many people everywhere," he said.

Emcali manager, Susana Correa, said the flood occurred in the northeast due to the overflowing of the Cauca River as it passes through the pumping station in Step trade in the Cali-Palmira straight. He explained that the river rose two meters in one hour and knocked down a dam built by Emcali.

Juan Carlos Marmolejo, engineer in charge of the pumping system, said the 'fork' was overrun and had to activate the pumping equipment, but the difficult waste operations.
According to the secretary of government of Cali, Eliana Muñoz Salamanca, the severe winter caused 15 neighborhoods were among the hardest hit by floods and landslides.

In addition to North and Petecuy Calimío in three stages, other critical situations were experienced Comfenalco Floralia, Los Chorros, San Luis I and II, San Luisito, Citadels Desepaz, Comfandi and del Rio Alto Naples, Siloam, La Sultana, Talanga and Montebello.

Yesterday the authorities define actions to be taken to help the hundreds of victims and institutions concerned in Cali.
The rains also left without classes to students of St. Elizabeth of Hungary School, where all the equipment room system, administration, laboratories and classrooms were flooded.

Also administrative and recreational areas, including swimming pools, Calimío Sports, adjacent to the pumping station, were covered by sewage and rain.

Look at Valderrama, a woman of 79 years, lost five sewing machines between fileteadotas flat, with which survives as a seamstress with a daughter and a granddaughter, while a neighbor, Luisa Fernanda Hernandez had to leave with her two children 3 and 7 years and take anywhere close.

"We are disclosed, the water began to rise at 3:30 and a half hours later everything was flooded. Tonight We do not know where we are going to happen, how we will keep an eye on the house if there is a dry place," said Mari Jacome Cruz.

In Siloam, Los Chorros and other hillside areas the situation was related to landslides that affected several homes and at noon yesterday sought to enable workers of the municipality towards Circunvalar, blocked by a landslide that blocked their advance towards the Avenida de los Cerros, in west of Cali.

Mayor, Fire, Civil Defence, Red Cross, multiplied their forces to establish a census of affected families and provide aid.

Other areas of eastern Cali was helped by the recovery work of the lagoon of El Pondaje, a wetland that serves as a stormwater control and the Cauca River and that tons of debris have been removed, restoring its water feature.

Flooding also occurred in the municipalities of Jamundi and Yotoco and landslides in Bolivar, north of the Valley.
The concern is the announcement of more rain, which would ensure that families have to go outside the home.

Calimío families, and San Luis Petecuy protested in the Cali-Palmira straight to require prompt assistance of the Mayor and Government.


NEWS PAPER "EL TIEMPO"

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Continua la Alerta Por las Inundaciones en Cali Alrededor de 21 barrios en sí vieron Afectados Por las Lluvias, desborde y de caños y del Río Cauca. Al cierre interno de edición ESTA, en ALGUNOS barrios de la Ciudad Que sí vieron Afectados Por El invierno, APENAS empezaba una Bajar El Nivel de las aguas Que mantuvieron la Emergencia Por Inundaciones DESDE la madrugada del Día de ayer. Anquen la Emergencia Invernal ESTÁ siendo atendida Por Todos Los Organismos de Socorro, Las Autoridades mantienen la Alerta ante aguaceros Futuros. Tanto MIENTRAS, los Habitantes del barrio Calimo Que resultaron damnificados Por las Inundaciones, protestaron en el Paso del Comercio ante El Incumplimiento de los Mantenimientos Alcantarillado al. La Policía Metropolitana en solitario de Cali informó Que La Protesta de sí Llevo Manera Pacífica en la Calle 73 Con Carrera 1, Dejando sin carril en Servicio párr el paso de los Vehículos. Segun El Gerente de Acueducto de Emcali, Jorge Enrique Ángel, "El Nivel de las aguas ha Bajado en Los Barrios y Nuestro Equipo Operativo ESTÁ Preparado párr prestar Toda La Asistencia Pertinente. Aquellas Es contradictorio alcalde Donde Hubo derrumbes Impacto y, ESTAMOS realizando Las Labores de limpieza ". El Funcionario Porque Explica Que Las Inundaciones en sí presentaron Por las fuertes Lluvias Que duraron Toda La Noche y El Nivel del río Cauca, subio 2 metros, Lo Que El Represo y bombeo agravó la Situación. "Afortunadamente hemos Avanzado en Las Obras de Recuperación de la laguna del fondaje, humedal de Charco Azul, Lo Que un ayudó Que Este alcanzara un Almacenar 150 metros cúbicos millones, Por Lo Que Las Inundaciones no fueron de magnitud alcalde" DIJO Ángel. Los Afectados Los Sectores Más Afectados fueron Comfenalco, Floralia, Los Chorros, Calimio Norte, Petecuy I, II y III, San Luis I y II, Ciudadela Desepaz, Ciudadela del Río, Ciudadela Comfandi, Luisito San, Alto Nápoles, Siloé, La Sultana, Los alcázares, Talanga y Montebello, entre otros. Durante, la Urgencia de no se Han reportados lesionadas personajes. Los deslizamientos en sector de El de ladera de la Ciudad en sí presentaron en el Barrio Belén, Los Chorros, Avenida Los Cerros y la vía principal conduce al Que corregimiento de La Buitrera. Hasta El Momento, Los Organismos de Socorro Han Informado Que en Los Barrios Petecuy y Más heno Calimío de 2,000 Familias damnificadas, el embargo en el pecado Aun continua El Censo en Los Sectores del norte, sur, oriente y laderas de la Ciudad. En ALGUNOS barrios Como Calimio Norte y Petecuy, La Fuerza civil ESTÁ Informando a la Gente Sobre el albergue Que Se ha Puesto una Disposición PARA QUE Las acudan personajes en Caso de Nuevas Lluvias. Ademas informaron Que El Servicio de Energía estara normalizándose en el diario El Día de Hoy.