Fear, rain and recklessness mixed in a trip that could have ended in disaster.
Colombia News.
In the early morning hours of Thursday, November 14, the Atrato River, an imposing witness to life in Chocó, became the scene of an episode that sowed fear and shock.
A boat transporting officials from the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) to the community of Tumaradó, in the municipality of Unguía, shipwrecked in the turbulent waters of the Bocas del Atrato.
The images that quickly circulated on social networks left a chilling image: the officials, immersed in water up to their chests, struggled to stay safe in the middle of a boat trapped between branches.
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What caught the most attention, and caused indignation, was that many were not wearing life jackets, but only the DANE institutional vests.
Terror in the Atrato River in Chocó
The terror became palpable. The unpredictable currents of the Atrato, exacerbated by the impact of heavy rains and the climate crisis plaguing the department, added a layer of uncertainty.
While some clung to the remains of the boat, others tried to reach the shore, not knowing if the next step could sink them deeper into the treacherous waters.
Fortunately, the story did not include fatalities. The occupants managed to escape unharmed, but the scare left a deep mark on them and the community.
This incident not only exposed the difficulties inherent to mobility in a region marked by precariousness, but also the serious shortcomings in security protocols in an area where rivers are the only means of connection.
The shipwreck also sheds light on a stark reality: the fragility of communities and institutions in Chocó in the face of natural disasters.
Intense rains, floods and overflowing rivers have made this region one of the most vulnerable in Colombia. The absence of adequate infrastructure, together with the lack of awareness and equipment, turns each journey into a gamble dangerous.
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