Continuing Floods Hit San José del Guaviare, Colombia as El Niño Persists

In the rural municipality of San José del Guaviare, Colombia, flooding continues despite a recent drop in the Guaviare River's level. The local risk‑management committee reports that about 1,089 families remain affected, with numbers expected to rise as community leaders complete a census of impacted households.

The municipality declared a red alert in early June after the river rose above nine metres, the highest in two decades. While the river has receded slightly, heavy rains associated with the El Niño phenomenon keep water levels high. Adjacent river Inírida also shows elevated levels, prompting an orange alert in nearby Inírida.

Last year the region suffered severe flooding that displaced more than 9,000 people when the river peaked at over 10.10 m. Experts link the current situation to increased rainfall from El Niño, which typically brings heavier downpours to the upper Amazon basin.