In the midst of the impact left by the cold front in several regions of the country, President Petro once again insisted on the need to declare a new economic, environmental and social emergency.

The president asked the Constitutional Court to lift the suspension of the previous decree, arguing that the magnitude of the disaster caused by the cold front exceeds any forecast made by the authorities.

During the most recent National Disaster Risk Management Council, the Government reported that more than 45,000 homes have been damaged since the end of January, with a preliminary toll of at least 16 people dead.

In addition, there is talk of nearly 10,000 homes with severe damage, thousands of hectares flooded and significant losses in crops, especially in Córdoba and Sucre.

Petro assured that the climate phenomenon has had an atypical behavior, with precipitation that would not have a recent history in historical records.

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As he explained, a second cold front could intensify the rains during the weekend, aggravating the humanitarian situation in the Caribbean and other regions.

Petro also questioned the management of some reservoirs and asked the Superintendence of Public Services to review storage levels and operational decisions adopted in the midst of the energy situation. According to him, it is necessary to evaluate whether there were actions that affected the rates and the management of water resources.

For its part, the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) supported the possibility of a new declaration. The entity considers that it would allow extraordinary resources to be mobilized and expedite urgent actions to serve the affected communities.

The final decision now remains in the hands of the Constitutional Court, while the country faces a winter season that already leaves serious social and economic consequences.

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