Published
Video length: 3 min
Drought: Colombia devastated by flames
Major fires have been ravaging the surroundings of Bogota (Colombia) for several days due to drought. Firefighters are struggling to control the flames. – (Franceinfo)
:quality(50)/2023/07/05/64a55fd777de4_placeholder-36b69ec8.png)
Major fires have been ravaging the surroundings of Bogota (Colombia) for several days due to drought. Firefighters are struggling to control the flames.
Bogota, the capital of Colombia, is enveloped in thick toxic smoke. This is the visible consequence of the fires which have been ravaging the surrounding forests for several days now. In certain working-class neighborhoods, the flames are very close, a few hundred meters from the favelas. The evacuation of residents could be ordered by the authorities if the fire cannot be brought under control. “We won’t leave, we don’t want to take the children anywhere other than here”indicates a resident.
State of natural disaster declared
But others may not have a choice. The air is so unbreathable that wearing a mask is no longer enough: “This worries us because my sister and I have animals. They are in danger in our shelter. I already had to convince my mother to leave”. In five days, the fires destroyed 172 km2 of forests, or one and a half times the area of Paris, around twenty outbreaks are still out of control. A state of natural disaster was declared, and the Colombian government appealed for international aid.
