The Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam) confirmed that Julia is the 5th hurricane that forms in the Atlantic this year. The system is advancing through the western Caribbean Sea with sustained winds of 120 km/h and moving at a speed of 28 km/h.
Given the fact, this Saturday The Minister of Health and Social Protection, Carolina Corcho, announced on her Twitter account her arrival with “preventive actions once morest the risk of a hurricane” in San Andrés and Providencia.
In accordance with the head of the Health portfolio, went to the department with the “sending of 10 boxes of medicines (160 kg) and strengthening the provision of health services in the event of a risk situation.”
Immediately, criticism rained down on the minister, such as that of the representative to the Chamber of the Democratic Center for Bogotá, Andrés Forero, who said on his Twitter account that the official would: “Shows as a great achievement the shipment of 10 boxes of medicines in the event of a hurricane for a population of more than 60,000 inhabitants in San Andrés.”
Earlier, Governor Everth Hawkins Sjogreen announced that several areas of the island register suspension of electricity, as well as falling trees and rising tides.
“We have witnessed trees fall, there are roofs that have been blown off. We reiterate: take refuge in solid places, if there are two floors in your home, go down to the first. Find a safe place while we get through this eventuality,” said Hawkins Sjogreen.
However, the departmental president was surprised because more intense rains and winds than those being registered were expected. Nevertheless, He asked not to lower our guard and attend to prevention measures.
“The task has been done, the people have been mobilized, the shelters have been set up. Each institution has put into operation the contingency plan, “said Willie Gordon, Fire Commander.
The authorities say that, comparing the current situation with Iota, the picture is much more positive.
“The Iota was a strong experience for us, it made us stronger. Compared to other experiences, we’ve had, we’re doing very well,” Gordon said.
The departmental government insisted that Caution must be maintained and go to authorized shelters:
- Providence: On this island there are four shelters located in the Santa Isabel Youth Center, the South West Baptist Church, the Divine Mercy Chapel in the Casa Baja sector, and the Casa de Música. In addition, the houses built during the reconstruction process of the territory have a self-shelter zone.
- Saint Andrew: Flowers Hill School, Bolivarian School, Vive Digital Sarie Bay Point, San Francisco de Asia Church, El Esfuerzo School and the Casa Lúdica del Cove.
President Gustavo Petro announced that he is preparing to travel to San Andrés as soon as weather conditions allow. “We have the PMU (Unified Command Post), which is the instrument of action ready and we hope that people have achieved the greatest coverageshelters, which is what we have been looking for all day.”
The head of state added that “tomorrow we will have, according to the result of the hurricane, concrete information and immediate actions to reactivate the island.”
Meanwhile, Ideam warned that the increase in cloudiness will continue and moderate to heavy precipitation is expected in the coming hoursand the weekend.
The most intense ones might occur in La Guajira, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, coastal cities, the San Andrés Archipelago, Providencia and Santa Catalina, the Pacific region, the north of the Andean region and the Gulf of Urabá, as well as the center and north of the The Caribbean Region.
