Colombia’s cities prepare for El Niño with new roadmap
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The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Colombia) and the Colombian Association of Capital Cities (Asocapitales) provided a guide to the mayors of Colombia’s 32 capital cities to prepare for the 2026-2027 El Niño phenomenon.
These cities house roughly 47% of the country’s population, making their readiness crucial for minimizing impacts on residents and services. The guide, an ABC system, prioritizes water protection, fire prevention, and maintaining essential services like hospitals.
The ABC guide outlines a roadmap for city administrations to monitor conditions, prepare responses, and coordinate with relevant parties. It identifies 19 potential risk scenarios, including water and food shortages, fires, and health risks, and uses a traffic light system, yellow, orange, and red, to signal preparedness, action, and crisis levels. Each city can customize the thresholds for these levels based on its specific vulnerabilities and resources.
The roadmap recommends actions like assessing water supplies, securing alternative sources, and updating emergency plans. It also stresses the importance of verifying backup systems for hospitals and fire departments, and strengthening public health monitoring. Asocapitales is encouraging collaboration between city governments, utility companies, and local communities, especially to protect vulnerable populations. The guide emphasizes that El Niño may bring both droughts and heavy rainfall, requiring preparation for a range of conditions.
