Colombia's Arauca floods hit 16,000 families, spur farmer aid demands

Severe flooding in Tame, Arauca province left 1,613 families and 5,718 people homeless, while UNGRD estimates more than 9,000 families affected in the department and 6,000 in neighboring Casanare. Across the wider region, including Norte de Santander and Boyacá, the total exceeds 16,000 families. Infrastructure damage includes collapsed bridges, destroyed roads and school closures.

The agricultural sector suffered heavily: Fedegán reports about 191,000 livestock displaced over roughly 233,000 hectares, with over 2,000 producers losing animals, corrals and fences, and many pastures turning into mud that will require full restoration. In Sucre, an extreme drought has killed more than 5,000 animals, affecting around 70% of the department's cattle herd. Farmers have called on the government for assistance, requesting credit restructuring with a 12‑month grace period and terms up to five years at preferential rates, a 12‑month VAT refund on agricultural inputs, and longer‑term, low‑interest loans for pasture and infrastructure recovery.