Heavy rains in large swaths of Colombia in early February have left at least 13 people dead, displaced thousands, and unleashed widespread destruction, with the Caribbean coast among the hardest-hit regions, authorities and international agencies said.
The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) confirmed that the fatalities were linked to a series of floods and landslides triggered by unusually intense rainfall across several departments, including Nariño, Antioquia, Cauca, and multiple Caribbean coastal areas.
The country’s meteorological service, IDEAM, reported that rainfall in January and early February reached levels up to 64% above historical averages, saturating soils and dramatically increasing the risk of slope failures and flash flooding.
On the Caribbean coast, continuous downpours caused rivers to overflow, inundating low-lying neighborhoods, sweeping away homes, and destroying crops.
In municipalities across Bolivar, Atlantico, Magdalena, and Sucre, emergency services reported widespread flooding, collapsed roads, and prolonged power outages, complicating rescue and relief efforts. Local authorities declared states of alert in multiple towns as water levels surged into residential areas, forcing families to flee to schools and community shelters.
More than 40,000 families in the Cordoba department have been victims of the rains, as reported by Noticias Caracol. Along the Caribbean seaboard, where poor drainage systems, informal housing, and rising sea levels exacerbate vulnerability. Entire communities reported shortages of drinking water, food, and basic medical supplies as access routes remained blocked by mud and debris.
Deadly rains in Colombia leave at least 13 dead
The deadliest single incident occurred in the southwestern department of Nariño, where a rain-swollen stream overflowed near the municipality of Mallama late on Feb. 7, triggering a massive landslide that buried several homes and killed seven people, emergency officials said, quoted by El Tiempo.
Search-and-rescue teams, supported by the military and sniffer dogs, worked through thick mud to recover bodies and search for survivors of Colombia’s heavy rains.
Elsewhere, flash floods and slope collapses claimed at least six additional lives in Antioquia and Cauca, where mountainous terrain and unstable soils are especially prone to disaster during prolonged rainfall.
Dozens of families were evacuated as authorities warned of further landslides, given that the ground remains heavily saturated.
A cold front is the cause of heavy rains
IDEAM attributed the extreme weather to a rare cold front pushing south from the northern Caribbean, which forced humid air masses to rise over Colombia’s Andean slopes, producing days of intense rainfall.
Such systems are unusual for February, a month that typically brings drier conditions to much of the country. Climate scientists say the event underscores how climate change is intensifying weather variability in tropical regions, increasing the frequency of extreme rainfall episodes.
On the Caribbean coast, the impact has been particularly severe. In parts of Bolivar and Magdalena, floodwaters submerged entire streets, damaging homes, schools, and small businesses. Farmers reported extensive crop losses, raising concerns about food security and economic hardship in already vulnerable rural communities.
Local governments said hundreds of families are currently housed in temporary shelters, with many more staying with relatives after losing their belongings.
“We are facing a complex emergency,” UNGRD director Carlos Carrillo said in a statement, emphasizing that rescue operations are ongoing and that humanitarian aid is being distributed to the most affected zones. “The priority is to save lives, provide shelter, and restore access to essential services.”
The Colombian Red Cross and international humanitarian organizations have mobilized emergency brigades to deliver food kits, blankets, potable water, and hygiene supplies. However, damaged roads and continuing rainfall have slowed aid deliveries, particularly in remote coastal and mountainous areas.
Experts warn that the risk is far from over. IDEAM forecasts indicate that heavy rains could persist over the coming days, especially along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Authorities have urged residents in flood-prone and hillside communities to remain alert, heed evacuation orders, and report signs of soil movement or rising water levels immediately.