The bodies of more than 250 people have been pulled out of mud and rubble in Colombia after deadly landslides struck the southern American country. As rescue personnel race to find survivors, as many as 200 people are still unaccounted for.

Water from three overflowing rivers swept through the town of Mocoa, located in south-western Colombia, flooding homes and sweeping away vehicles as big as lorries. Most of the victims were caught unawares as the mudslides hit when they were asleep. Just after midnight, an avalanche of muddy waters and debris uprooted trees and destroyed buildings on their way leaving little time for inhabitants to cope with the situation. Mocoa, the capital of Putumayo province, lies near the border with Ecuador.

The three rivers broke their banks after a month of heavy rainfall in the region. President Juan Manuel Santos declared a state of emergency after visiting the disaster zone. He said the death toll could be higher as scores of people were still missing. Close to 400 people have been injured so far, many of critically.

Over 1,100 military and police personnel have been deployed to carry out rescue operations. But rescue work has been hampered by poor weather and lack of electricity.

Images showed troops carrying women and children over mud-caked houses and trees.

Hundreds of families have been displaced in Mocoa with local reports suggesting similar devastation in at least a dozen other hamlets in the area. Fear has gripped the area that river waters could rise again affecting the neighbourhood.

"The hospital collapsed and we don't have water, electricity and gas. The bridges are destroyed. The roads to Huila are impassable. We are fenced in," Mocoa's Mayor Jose Castro said. "The rains are going to remain inclement and I fear they could lead to another tragedy to add to the pain we people from Putumayo are already feeling." </s> Since the publication of ACAPS Nigeria Floods Briefing Note on 21 September, river levels in most of the 12 affected states remain high due to flooding, which has affected 441,251 people, and displaced 141,369 people between late August and 24 September. A total of 108 deaths and 192 injuries have been reported as of late August. Rainfall is expected to continue for the next week. Rivers and Bayelsa states are estimated to be amongst the worst affected states where water levels continue to rise. Initial assessments indicate that 13,031 homes were damaged or destroyed across all affected states as of late August. Shelter, food, NFIs and medical assistance continue to be key needs for the affected population

Since the publication of ACAPS Nigeria Floods Briefing Note on 21 September, widespread flooding due to ongoing rainfall has affected 441,250 people and displaced 141,400 people in Adamawa, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Delta, Edo, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Rivers, and Taraba states since late August (NEMA 24/09/2018; ERCC; 24/09/2018).

As of 24 September, flooding across 12 states and 50 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in central and southern Nigeria has caused 108 deaths and 192 injuries (NEMA 24/09/2018). Across all affected states, there is an urgent need for shelter, with around 13,000 houses damaged (NEMA 24/09/2018). The affected population has lost household and personal belongings. The floods have caused considerable damage to agricultural land across Nigeria, with 122,653 hectares of agricultural land destroyed. In addition to shelter, there is an urgent need for food, NFIs and medicine (NEMA 24/09/2018). The flooding is widespread and situation is rapidly evolving. As assessments are ongoing, the number of the affected people is expected to further increase.

Initial assessments indicate that Rivers and Bayelsa are amongst the most affected states. Water levels continue to rise in Rivers and Bayelsa. As of 24 September, water levels in lower Benue state have subsided to 10m, compared to 11m on 21 September.

The Niger River at Lokoja city, Kogi state, has not receded, as it recorded water levels of 11.05m on 24 September (NEMA 24/09/2018). Light to moderate rainfall is expected to continue until early October.

Shelter: Flooding has displaced around 141,400 people across the 12 affected states, of which 80,600 people are estimated to be living with friends and family (NEMA 24/09/2018). Over 13,000 houses have been partially or totally damaged. IDPs have relocated to emergency shelters, such as LGA offices, schools, stadiums and churches.

Some of the affected population is staying in IDP camps that have been recently constructed by the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (NEMA 21/09/2018). As assessments are ongoing, and water levels continue to rise in Rivers and Bayelsa states, the amount of houses damaged, which are typically built with mud and thatch roods, is likely to increase (IFCR 23/09/2018). The affected population are in urgent need of shelter support and NFIs, such as blankets, mats, hygiene kits and kitchen sets (IFCR 23/09/2018).

Livelihood: New estimates indicate that 122,653 hectares of agricultural land have been flooded across central and southern Nigeria. Crops were destroyed before the harvesting season begins in October (NYTimes 17/08/2018). This makes the affected population more vulnerable to food insecurity, and negatively impacts the livelihoods of farmers. Flooding is also likely to affect other livelihoods, such as fishers and petty traders.

Food: There continues to be an urgent need for food assistance for IDPs across all affected states. Severe flood damage to agricultural crops means there is a risk that some communities will experience increased food insecurity throughout the harvest season. (Daily Trust 20/09/2018). There are still no reports on whether markets that have been flooded and closed. Transportation of food is likely to be severely restricted because main roads have been flooded.

Health: Since the publication of the briefing note on 21 September, 192 injuries have been reported since late August. Flood affected victims are likely to be in urgent medical care, as result of injuries and the risk of outbreaks made worse due to the extensive flooding. Health care support is particularly needed in IDP camps (IFCR 23/09/2018).

The risk that diarrhoea and cholera will spread remains high, as water levels continue to rise in Rivers and Bayelsa, and have mostly not subsided in other communities.

Particularly in more populated areas, and overcrowded IDP camps where WASH facilities are inadequate, there continues to be a high concern for cholera to spread further. There have been reports of an increase in diarrhoea cases in four of the flood affected states (IFCR 23/09/2018). There is a lack of geographical information and data indicating which states are affected by the spike in diarrhoea cases. 27,927 cases of suspected cholera were reported between 1 January and 10 September countrywide (NCDC 10/09/2018). Between 1 January and 10 September, suspected cholera cases were reported in the flood affected states of Adamawa (2,002), Anambra (23), Bayelsa (no data), Benue (no data), Delta (no data), Edo (no data), Kebbi (198), Kogi (102), Kwara (no data), Niger (547), Rivers (no data), and Taraba (no data). (NCDC 10/09/2018). In Adamawa, an increase of 119 suspected cholera cases was observed between 17-23 September, most likely due to flooding facilitating the spread (Adamawa State Ministry of Health 23/09/2018)

As flooding has not receded, the escalation of vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue and-or West Nile fever remains a concern (WHO 2018). The Government recently confirmed that the malaria cases have increased due to the floods (IFCR 23/09/2018).

The current malaria incidence in Nigeria is 380.8/1,000 (2015) (PMI 2017). A distribution of mosquito nets for the flood affected population has been identified as a key priority (NEMA 24-09-2018 NaijaNews 18/09/2018).

Since the publication of ACAPS Nigeria Floods Briefing Note on 21 September, there have been additional reports in local media sources that indicate antenatal care for pregnant women remains a key concern. This was reported in Uzanu community, Estako East LGA, Edo state and in Ogbaru, Amambra.

There is a need for psychosocial support, as flood victims have lost or been separated from their loved ones (IFCR 23/09/2018).

WASH: The displaced population is still staying in emergency shelters, such LGA offices, stadiums, schools and churches, which have inadequate sanitation facilities and are in urgent need of safe water. In most of the affected states, water sources have been contaminated by flooding (IFCR 23/09/2018). There is a lack of data on the potential amount of damaged water points.

Education: Schools continue to be used as evacuation centres across all affected states. On 18 September, primary and secondary schools were closed in Ogbaru, Southern Anambra state as a safety measure, following floods that displaced more than 1,1000 people (OCHA 24/09/2018). Considering the ongoing flooding, it is likely that many schools have been damaged by flooding (Premium Times 19/09/2018).

Protection: While there is no disaggregated data available on the amount of women and girls affected by the floods, it is likely that this group is disproportionately affected.

Women and girls that are displaced and staying in IDP camps continue to be at increased risk to gender-based violence. Overcrowding at IDP camps, with a lack of privacy and inadequate toilets and washing facilities, increases the risks and vulnerability of women and girls to gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse (UNHCR 12/2017; OCHA 2016).

Since the start of the rainy season, in June, main roads have been flooded and bridges collapsed (Vanguard 15/09/2018). As water levels have not subsided and heavy rainfall is expected to continue until the beginning of October, main roads continue to be flooded across all affected states.

Power and telecommunications are affected in some of the flood-affected states. The Okpai Gas Independent Power Plant in Ndokwa East Council, Delta State, with power supply to Aso Villa, Abuja has been flooded (TheGuardian 25/09/2018). Communities in Kdokwa West and Ukwuani councils are also affected by the power cut.

Some LGA offices in affected are also likely to be impacted, as they are being used as emergency shelters for the flood affected population. </s> The incident at the Swar dam is the fourth major dam failure in recent months.

Monsoon rains have caused a dam in Myanmar to overflow, inundating the nearby township of Swar and surrounding villages in Bago region.At least 50,000 people are thought to have evacuated their homes after the Swar irrigation dam was breached during the early hours of 29 August, 2018, according to Reuters.Images on social media show teams from fire services and military helping to evacuate people from flooded areas. Myanmar Fire Service said they were using boats to carry out search and rescue operations. Some unconfirmed reports suggested that there have been some fatalities.Parts of Laos were badly affected in July this year when heavy rainfall caused the collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam under construction in Sanamxay District of Attapeu province, that left at least 35 dead and many more still missing.In Colombia, the government in Antioquia department, Colombia, declared a Public Calamity after the Hidroituango Dam on the Cauca river threatened to collapse. On 12 May, a sudden release of water from the dam flooded municipalities of Puerto Valdivia and Taraza down stream, forcing around 600 people to evacuate their homes. By 23 May, further evacuations had been carried out in Puerto Valdivia and the municipalities of Puerto Antioquia, Cáceres and Tarazá, with the total number disaplced at around 25,000.In Kenya, the Patel Dam in Solai, Subukia Sub-County, Nakuru County , broke its banks on 09 May, 2018, killing at least 38 people. </s> A landslide in Colombia's southwestern border province of Putumayo sent mud and debris crashing onto houses, killing at least 112 people and injuring hundreds more, officials said on Saturday.

Heavy rains caused several rivers to overflow, pushing sediment onto buildings and roads in the provincial capital of Mocoa.

Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos confirmed at least 112 people had been killed after intense rains triggered an avalanche of mud and water from overflowing rivers that swept through a small city. </s> Torrential overnight rainfall causing a landslide in Mocoa, Colombia claims the lives of more than 250 people. Flooding and mudslides sent debris and fast flowing water into houses as residents of Putumayo province’s capital city slept. An army statement reported that a further 400 people had been injured and 200 were missing </s> A landslide in Colombia’s southwestern border province of Putumayo sent mud and debris crashing onto houses overnight, killing 112 people and injuring at least 120, officials said on Saturday.

Heavy rains caused several rivers to overflow, pushing sediment onto buildings and roads in the provincial capital of Mocoa. “It has just been reported to me that we have 112 people dead,” President Juan Manuel Santos said after arriving in Mocoa and declaring a state of emergency. “We will keep looking.”

Local police said earlier on Saturday that 93 bodies had been recovered. The disaster response unit said 120 people were injured. (Reuters)

See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Tumblr. </s> KOCHI/BENGALURU (Reuters) - The death toll from floods in India's states of Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra rose to 95, official figures showed on Saturday, as heavy rain and landslides forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate their homes.

Seasonal monsoon rains from June to September are a crucial lifeline for agrarian Indian society, delivering 70% of the country's rainfall, but they also bring in their wake death and destruction every year.

Some 42 people died in southwestern Kerala and over 100,000 affected people have been evacuated, the central government's disaster management cell said, after 80 landslides hit the state in two days.

The state planned to open the gates of Banasurasagar dam in Wayanad district at 0930 GMT, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said during a news conference in the city of Kochi. Shutters of the dam were partially opened on Saturday morning to manage the water level and avoid serious damage, a senior state official of the district confirmed to Reuters.

A red alert, or severe rainfall and bad weather conditions forecast, has been issued for seven out of 14 districts in the state, the Kerala State Disaster Management control room told Reuters on Saturday.

Last year, Kerala was hit by one of its worst floods in one hundred years. More than 200 people were killed and over 5 million affected.

The state's busiest airport, Cochin International Airport, has been closed since Friday as the taxiway is water-logged. The airport is expected to reopen from Sunday as water levels had started to recede, the state body said.

In neighbouring Karnataka, home to India's tech hub Bengaluru, some 24 people have died in what chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said on Saturday were the worst floods in 45 years.

Around 1,024 villages have been inundated due to the rains, several dams were reaching their full capacity, and over 200,000 people had been evacuated, he added.

As many as 16 of the state's 30 districts have been affected by the heavy rains and 235,105 people have been evacuated and shifted to 624 relief camps, Yeddyurappa added.

In Maharashtra, home to India's financial capital Mumbai, 29 people have died this week.

The Indian Meteorological Department said on its website that heavy to very heavy rain was likely to lash isolated areas of Kerala, parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra, and some southern states might also see extremely heavy rain on Saturday. </s> LIMA, Peru (AP) - A new round of unusually heavy rains has killed at least a dozen people in Peru and now threatens flooding in the capital.

The new floods and mudslides over the past three days follow a series of other storms and officials say that a total of 62 people have died and 12,000 homes have been destroyed so far this year.

Authorities said Thursday they expect the intense rains caused by the warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean to continue another two weeks.

Schools nationwide are suspending classes and in the capital of Lima, the swelling Huaycoloro river swept away two trucks and threatens to destroy a bridge.

President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said late Wednesday that authorities are prepared to provide shelter and relief to those left homeless. </s> At least 83 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed in the four flood-hit states of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat Friday as incessant rains continue to throw life out of gear in isolated areas across the country.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai conducted a high-level meeting Friday to assess the flood situation in different parts of the country and check the preparedness of central ministries and agencies to face the challenges posed by the disastrous conditions.

Torrential rains continued to batter various parts of Kerala Friday as the death toll in monsoon related incidents, including landslides, in the last three days soared to 28 with more than 43,000 people taking shelter in rehabilitated centers, officials told PTI. The worsening situation has prompted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government to seek assistance from the Indian Army and the Air Force.

Train services were also thrown out of gear in isolated areas across the state as heavy rains caused landslides while overflowing rivers resulted in flooding in several parts with Wayanad, Malappuram, Kannur and Idukki in north and central Kerala being the worst-affected areas.

A red alert for rainfall has been issued in nine of the 14 districts in the southern state and all educational institutions, including colleges, will remain shut till Saturday.

Thousands of people have been marooned and lakhs of acres of land have submerged with Belagavi district, being the worst affected by floods in Karnataka.

Almost all the major rivers in Karnataka including Krishna, Cauvery, Kaali, Varahi, Markandeya, Bheema, Malaprabha, Ghataprabha, Tunga, Bhadrawati, Hemavati, Sharavati, Netravati, Tungabhadra, Kumaradhara, Varada, Kabini and their tributaries are overflowing leaving thousands of people stranded.

Apart from Belagavi, the districts affected include Bagalakote, Vijayapura, Raichur, Yadgir, Gadag, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, Hubballi-Dharwad, Ballari, Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu.

In Kodagu district, at the catchment area of River Cauvery, four bodies were extracted from under a house — on a foothill — which collapsed due to a landslide.

PTI reported that the National Highway 75 was cut off at Sakaleshpura in Hassan district due to landslide at Yattinahalli.

Around nine million people are reported to be affected by floods in Bihar till Thursday with at least 130 deaths, according to the state disaster management department. PTI reported that the number of people affected by floods, according to the department, has reached 88.46 lakh and they are spread across 1269 Panchayats falling under 111 blocks of 13 districts.

The state has been battling the flood situation since July 13, when the five districts in northern Bihar were struck by flash floods. The preparedness for the flood situation wasn’t formidable because the sudden rains were unexpected in a state that was facing a weak monsoon.

PTI reported that around 1,000 people have been evacuated from catchment areas of Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD) in Madhya Pradesh’s Barwani and Dhar districts as the Narmada river is flowing above the danger mark in the aftermath of heavy rains. Also, around 700 persons were evacuated in Dhar district.

Officials of the Narmada Valley Development Authority of Madhya Pradesh informed PTI that at 2 pm on Friday, the river was flowing 7 meters above its danger mark of 123.28 meters at Rajghat village.

Meanwhile, Medha Patkar-led Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) on Friday called off its satyagraha (protest) at Rajghat.

The protest was aimed to mount pressure on the Gujarat government to open Sardar Sarovar Dam’s gates in order to make sure that people living in submergence areas in Madhya Pradesh were not affected by floods, the NBA told PTI.

“We have won as the Gujarat government has opened the gates,” it said.

In Maharashtra, more than two lakh people have been evacuated to safer areas ad floods have wreaked havoc in five districts of western Maharashtra, namely Sangli, Pune, Kolhapur, Solapur and Satara, officials informed PTI. Sangli and Kolhapur continue to be the worst-hit.

PTI reported that as many as 97,102 people have been rehabilitated to safer places in Kolhapur followed by 80,319 in Sangli.

At least nine people drowned and four went missing after a boat engaged in rescue work toppled near Brahmanal village in Palus tehsil of Sangli on Thursday, PTI reported.

At least 12 rescue teams of the Indian Navy are being deployed in Sangli district, an official told PTI.

“These 12 Navy teams will be deployed today (Friday) in Sangli in addition to the teams already present in Kolhapur,” a state government spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Heavy rains continued to lash districts of Central Gujarat since Thursday night. After incessant rains in Vadodara, level of the Ajwa Dam continued to be at 211 feet while the Vishwamitri was flowing at 22 feet, 4 feet below its danger mark. Meanwhile, Chhota Udepur recorded the highest rainfall in a day for the district so far, with 1166 mm rainfall in a single day. The district has received 368 mm rainfall since 6 am in the morning. Sukhi dam in the district is at 146.71 feet just one foot below its danger level of 147.82 feet.

Also, the Riverbed Powerhouse (RBPH) at the Sardar Sarovar dam on Narmada river, came to life after two years on Friday as the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam authorities opened the 22 gates of the dam first time after its installation in 2017, to maintain the water level in the dam at 131.18 metres.

Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have been arguing over the shutting down of power production from the RBPH after the political regime changed in the neighbouring state. Low lying villages in Narmada and villages in Bharuch and Vadodara on the banks of the river have been put on alert.
Seven states in Venezuela are affected as the Orinoco River floods.