17 districts of the commune were affected after the rains.

South of Bogotá It is one of the areas most affected by the constant rains that have occurred in recent weeks, an area that borders the municipality of soachawhere several flooded neighborhoods have also been recorded, which have generated the blocking of roads by citizens, who demand improvements in the condition of the streets, since they claim that every time it rains they have to live “among the mud “.

In recent days, the municipality of soacha was one of the most mentioned points regarding the dispute over the Bogotá City Hallthis after the president Gustavo Petro assert that the southern highway, which crosses the City of the male god with the capital of the country, it would become an underground way, an idea supported by the former senator gustavo bolivarwho would be the candidate for the Historical pact in the dispute to occupy the Palace of Liévano.

However, the project worries the citizens of the municipality and the city of BosaWell, building a tunnel in one of the most flooded areas in winter doesn’t seem like a good idea.

Due to heavy rain, flooding occurred in the San Diego and Caminos de Esperanza urbanizations in Bosa on Saturday March 11.  (Idiger)
Due to heavy rain, flooding occurred in the San Diego and Caminos de Esperanza urbanizations in Bosa on Saturday March 11. (Idiger)

After the constant rains that have occurred in recent weeks, the district has declared a red alert in Bosaafter the Civil Defense will report more than 11 overflows in different sectors of the municipality and about 500 families affected by the cases of floods and material losses that have occurred there.

The most affected neighborhoods were San Diego, San José and Nueva Esperanza, in addition to the overflow of the “La Tibanica” ravine on March 11, added to various points on the southern highway, where water accumulates at each times it rains in the city

Situation which also occurs in the main corridor of soachaa road constantly taken by travelers seeking to leave Bogotá to the south, since the town is connected to several nearby tourist destinations such as Melgar, Girardot or Ibagué a little further, so motorists passing through the Southern Highway when it rains, they have to avoid flooded places, which increases the risk of having a traffic accident.

Added to this is the ordeal suffered by the inhabitants of more than 17 districts of the municipality, where every time it rains heavily there is flooding. In most of them, citizens report long-standing problems in the pipes and sewers, so that water stagnates and ends up entering their homes; the most worrying cases are recorded in the sectors of The pantry, Leo XIII there burrows.

Images of the southern highway at the height of La Despensa and León XIII

“We had almost 17 neighborhoods affected by flooding and at the moment we are assisting with the machinery of the municipality and the department to the responsibility which was the aqueduct, but with the machinery of the municipality we are solving the problem and thank you that the rains have stopped. We have no reports of casualties, only of those affected,” were part of the statements from the mayor of soacha, Juan Carlos Saldarriaga.

Queue of cars generated by the blockades at the entrance to the Ciudadela Sucre district in Soacha.  Credits: IC Radio
Queue of cars generated by the blockades at the entrance to the Ciudadela Sucre district in Soacha. Credits: IC Radio

Due to these problems, which are repeated during the winter season, the inhabitants of sugar citadel and the surrounding neighborhoods, led to the blocking of the main entrance to this sector in soachadenouncing the bad state of the road, more evident when it rains.

On March 15 and 16, citizens made intermittent closures, allowing vehicles to pass every 15 minutes, which is why workers, students and people who use this road were affected.

Citizens claim to have recourse to this type of action so that the municipal administration listens to them, since the problem has worsened over time and this endangers the various road actors who pass through it.

Categorized in: