Colombia officials said torrential rains in the country’s first rainy season has caused 93 deaths and displaced 69,000 due to floods and mudslides.
In a live television broadcast on Monday, President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón addressed the public about the nation's worst natural disaster, Colombia Reports said.
"It is like a hurricane that came in the middle of the year hit all our territory and has refused to go away.
The leader of the South American nation said the state has spent around $250 million in aid to the flood victims.
"For the overall attention to emergencies, through [government aid organization] 'Colombia Humanitaria' almost $2.52 billion of the national budget for 2010 - 2011 has been destined—excluding what is invested through the ministries and local entities—of which 95% has been confirmed."
The country had been paralyzed due to severe damages in infrastructure caused by the floods, landslides and mudslides in 28 of its 32 departments including the capital Bogotá.
The Interior and Justice Ministry said at least 36 Colombians had been injured and eight people are missing. Another 98,000 had been hurt and 183 houses were damaged by the rains.
This brings to a total of 15 people missing and 208,581 affected by this year's heavy rain, the AFP said.
Last year's rainy season left over 300 people dead. More than three million Colombians had been affected by both weather disturbances.
The worst of the current rainy season is expected until June, meteorologists warned.
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