Colombia on High Alert as Cyclone Season Begins

Colombia's Cyclone Season Begins: Coastal Regions Brace for Impact Coastal regions of Colombia are preparing for the start of the 2025 cyclone season, which officially began on June 1st and will last until November 30th. Authorities have identified La Guajira and the San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina archipelago as the areas most vulnerable to direct impacts. However, regions like Magdalena, Atlántico, Bolívar, Sucre, Córdoba, and Chocó are also expected to experience indirect effects, including flooding and strong winds. "We have a 60% probability of higher-than-average activity this year," stated Ghislane Echeverry, director of IDEAM (the Colombian Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Environmental Studies). Historically, Colombia experiences an average of 14 tropical storms annually. This year, however, the forecast predicts between 13 and 19 such storms. Carlos Carrillo, director of UNGRD (the Colombian National Unit for Disaster Risk Management), urged communities to take preventative measures. "We ask that you secure roofs, windows, and doors, and prune trees on your property," he emphasized. The UNGRD has also launched a new model for predicting coastal flooding caused by tropical cyclones. The timely warnings and preventative measures highlight Colombia's commitment to protecting its citizens from the potential devastation of the upcoming cyclone season.