Bogotá hailstorm disrupts El Dorado Airport operations

A severe hailstorm and heavy rainfall hit Bogotá, Colombia, causing significant disruptions to transportation and infrastructure. The storm, which occurred on Monday, October 5, primarily affected western localities including Engativá, Suba, Fontibón, and Kennedy.

In response to reduced visibility and communication failures, the Aeronáutica Civil (Aerocivil) issued a ‘ground stop’ for El Dorado International Airport, temporarily suspending all flights arriving at or departing from the terminal. While operations have since resumed, authorities are working to reorganize air traffic to manage resulting delays.

The weather event followed an unusually warm morning where temperatures reached 24.6 degrees Celsius. The sudden shift led to flooding on major avenues such as Avenida El Dorado and Avenida Boyacá, fallen trees, and collapsed lightweight roofs. The District Institute for Risk Management and Climate Change (Idiger) noted that such extreme weather patterns may continue through October and November.