GENEVA, Dec 24 (Saba) -- More than two million people in Columbia have been affected by heavy rains brought by La Nina, a weather phenomenon characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, the International Organization of Migration (IOM) said on Friday, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

The heavy rains have impacted 28 of the country's 32 departments. More than 280 persons have perished in the landslides and floods, 3,100 homes have been destroyed and 310,000 others have been damaged. More than one million hectares of agricultural land have been flooded by swollen rivers, said the IOM in a press release.

IOM is working with the Colombian Government to address the emergency. A total of USD 860,000 has been received from Colombian Government institutions and donors, including USAID and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

Because many families are refusing to leave their homes, even those at risk of flooding, IOM is building 750 family shelters, locally known as Tambos, so that the families can remain close to their homes. The shelters are built on platforms well above ground level so that families will be safe and dry.

Other assistance being provided includes water and sanitation for 500 families in the southern Department of Mario. In the northern municipality of San Onofre, IOM is working with the community in order to effectively allocate the resources provided by the Colombian Government for flood victims.

Similarly, IOM officials have taken part in an assessment in the department of Choco, on the Pacific coast, and in the northern coastal region of La Mojana.

Saba