In October 2022, Hurricane Julia struck Colombia as the fifth hurricane of the season. The storm had sustained winds of 65mph, but in this case the greater threat was the torrential rainfall with over 15 inches in a matter of hours, causing flooding and mudslides.

La Guajira in northern Colombia was heavily impacted by Hurricane Julia, with the National Unit for Risk and Disaster Management (UNGRD) estimating 48,387 people from 9,819 families being affected – 174 homes being destroyed, 5,247 homes being damaged and a health center suffering damages. President Gustavo Petro flew over the region to assess the damage after the hurricane and stated the city of Uribia in La Guajira was “a city practically split in two” by the flooding.

Last week, first responders, including Malteser International Americas, arrived at the catastrophe site to examine the damage and provide help. The focus for Malteser International Americas in the region has been on the areas of Riohacha, Maicao, San Juan del Cesar, Fonseca and Barrancas – where we have been supporting residents affected in the aftermath of the crisis with Mobile Health Clinics. All services have been provided for free, including medical care, psychosocial care, and medical supplies. Beyond the homes and material losses that have been experienced, we are witnessing a heavy increase of transmissible diseases that have come with the flooding.

Meet Rudith Valbuena and her 13-month-old son Abraham. Abraham’s parents are Venezuelan migrants, who left their country behind due to the critical social and economic conditions in the country. They were welcomed into the country and settled in the neighborhood of La Gloria de Dios, where they built a small house using mud, plastic and wood with a zinc roof.

During Hurricane Julia the home of Rudith and Abraham was damaged, causing the few treasured possessions that they owned to be damaged by the rain, including their mattresses.

Not only their possessions have suffered during this period. Despite Abraham’s young age, he has already experienced a traumatic disaster and now suffers from a skin condition caused by the flooding. Yet there is hope, as Abraham experiences medical care provided by Malteser International Americas, he laughs and demonstrates the strength and resilience of humanity to triumph over adversity.

Ricardo Tapia, Country Director for Malteser International Americas in Colombia, has highlighted the swift response from the organization “We are on the frontlines supporting the affected populations, especially the most vulnerable. We have set up Mobile Health Clinics to provide the needed care in the affected neighborhoods”.

Malteser International Americas will continue to support these neighborhoods in the coming regions, to ensure families like Rudith and Abraham get the help they need to continue living happy, healthy lives with dignity. Over the next few weeks Malteser International Americas will deliver 300 kits to prevent the spread of dengue fever, and 1,400 core relief kits – including hygiene and sleep kits for the families impacted by this crisis. If you’d like to support this relief effort, you can do so here.

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