A day of terror crossed the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina in the wake of hurricane Julia, which became a hurricane around 6:30 pm this Saturday. For now, it is unknown if there are people injured or fatal victims of the natural phenomenon. But in the images that were spread on social networks, the ferocity of the winds and the material damage it has left were exposed.
The governor of the island of San Andrés, Everth Hawkins Sjogreen, assured that there were several fallen trees on the electrical networks, which caused the people on the island to lose power.
Since 4 am the authorities had installed a Unified Command Post (PMU) to respond to the natural phenomenon. The Ideam and the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (Ungrd) and more than 300 soldiers joined the Government to support the population during the passage of Julia.
“We want to invite all our residents and tourists to please responsibly abide by all the recommendations and provisions of the departmental government,” asked Colonel Doris Edith Manosalva, commander of the San Andrés Police.
Starting at 6 am, the Governor’s Office of San Andrés had ordered a curfew to protect islanders and tourists. In San Andrés, six shelters were set up in churches and schools so that the population could shelter while the storm passed. In Providencia, meanwhile, they enabled four other locations.
“It has rained a lot, since 5 in the morning,” said Irama Guevara Luna, a resident of the Canteras de San Andrés neighborhood, through a WhatsApp voice note. Irama was confined to her house for the whole day with her husband and her two children.
In the morning, the Government of San Andrés announced that it was rescuing dozens of stray dogs to take them to a shelter with the support of the Police. Likewise, the shelters began to fill with people.
Over the course of the day, conditions worsened. According to what Irama said, they stayed in his house in the dark waiting for the hurricane around three in the afternoon. At that time the suspense was high.
“We are waiting for the entry of Cyclone Julia. We don’t know how it’s going to go, in the name of Jesus I hope it goes well for us, ”she assured.
Around 4:10 pm another resident of San Andrés told this newspaper that the rains and the winds had begun to intensify. “In Providencia I just spoke with a cousin and she informs me that it is not raining, but that the breezes began an hour ago. Thank God we’re okay,” said Jessica Cane Roots.
When the tropical storm was located just over 20 kilometers from the island, both Jessica and Irama assured that the light had returned and that the intensity of the breezes had decreased.
“We are waiting, because the news says that the storm would pass at 7 at night,” Irama said at 6:08 p.m.
Almost 20 minutes later, IDEAM reported that Julia had become a category 1 hurricane. “We confirm, according to the latest report from the National Hurricane Center, the declaration of Julia as a hurricane just as it passes through the island. of San Andrés, with sustained winds of 120 km/h”, said Ideam through its Twitter account.
At that time, Julia was traveling at a speed of 28 km/h. “The state of alarm continues”, detailed the Ideam.
At 7:05 pm, that entity published a new report in which it stated that Julia was only 6 kilometers from San Andrés. The Government of the island asked its inhabitants, with more insistence than ever, to take shelter.
“The news says that (the hurricane) is coming in. It feels very windy. God willing it happens and it doesn’t do so much damage here on the island,” Irama said in a message sent at 7:08 pm This newspaper sent him a message back at 7:17 pm and so far he has not replied.
Petro will visit the island
In the morning, President Gustavo Petro assured that the Government was on “maximum alert” and asked the hotels to “open space for shelters for the vulnerable population.”
Later, during the Governors Summit attended by the president, he stressed that the governor of San Andrés was absent because he was attending to the emergency in his territory.
“We are ready in what we can. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to attend and not have a too unpleasant balance”, said President Petro, who promised to visit the island this Sunday to take stock of what happened.
About this, several citizens of the island told this newspaper that since last Tuesday the authorities were telling them that they were going to experience heavy rains during the week. But they warned that they did not expect the situation to get so complicated.
The Ungrd assured that this Sunday morning, once the hurricane passes through the island, the complete report of the damage and the victims will be delivered.
A day of terror crossed the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina as a result of Hurricane Julia, which became a hurricane around 6:30 pm this Saturday. For now, it is unknown if there are people injured or fatal victims of the natural phenomenon. But in the images that were spread on social networks, the ferocity of the winds and the material damage it has left were exposed.
The governor of the island of San Andrés, Everth Hawkins Sjogreen, assured that there were several fallen trees on the electrical networks, which caused the people on the island to lose power.
Since 4 am the authorities had installed a Unified Command Post (PMU) to respond to the natural phenomenon. The Ideam and the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (Ungrd) and more than 300 soldiers joined the Government to support the population during the passage of Julia.
“We want to invite all our residents and tourists to please responsibly abide by all the recommendations and provisions of the departmental government,” asked Colonel Doris Edith Manosalva, commander of the San Andrés Police.
Starting at 6 am, the Governor’s Office of San Andrés had ordered a curfew to protect islanders and tourists. In San Andrés, six shelters were set up in churches and schools so that the population could shelter while the storm passed. In Providencia, meanwhile, they enabled four other locations.
“It has rained a lot, since 5 in the morning,” said Irama Guevara Luna, a resident of the Canteras de San Andrés neighborhood, through a WhatsApp voice note. Irama was confined to her house for the whole day with her husband and her two children.
In the morning, the Government of San Andrés announced that it was rescuing dozens of stray dogs to take them to a shelter with the support of the Police. Likewise, the shelters began to fill with people.
Over the course of the day, conditions worsened. According to Irama, they stayed in his house in the dark waiting for the hurricane around three in the afternoon. At that time the suspense was high.
“We are waiting for the entry of Cyclone Julia. We don’t know how it’s going to go, in the name of Jesus I hope it goes well for us, ”she assured.
Around 4:10 pm another resident of San Andrés told this newspaper that the rains and the winds had begun to intensify. “In Providencia I just spoke with a cousin and she informs me that it is not raining, but that the breezes began an hour ago. Thank God we’re okay,” said Jessica Cane Roots.
When the tropical storm was located just over 20 kilometers from the island, both Jessica and Irama assured that the light had returned and that the intensity of the breezes had decreased.
“We are waiting, because the news says that the storm would pass at 7 at night,” Irama said at 6:08 p.m.
Almost 20 minutes later, IDEAM reported that Julia had become a category 1 hurricane. “We confirm, according to the latest report from the National Hurricane Center, the declaration of Julia as a hurricane just as it passes through the island. of San Andrés, with sustained winds of 120 km/h”, said Ideam through its Twitter account.
At that time, Julia was traveling at a speed of 28 km/h. “The state of alarm continues”, detailed the Ideam.
At 7:05 pm, that entity published a new report in which it stated that Julia was only 6 kilometers from San Andrés. The Government of the island asked its inhabitants, with more insistence than ever, to take shelter.
“The news says that (the hurricane) is coming in. It feels very windy. God willing it happens and it doesn’t do so much damage here on the island,” Irama said in a message sent at 7:08 p.m. This newspaper sent him a message back at 7:17 p.m. and, until the closing of this edition, it had come to him.
Petro will visit the island
In the morning, President Gustavo Petro assured that the Government was on “maximum alert” and asked the hotels to “open space for shelters for the vulnerable population.”
Later, during the Governors Summit attended by the president, he stressed that the governor of San Andrés was absent because he was attending to the emergency in his territory.
“We are ready in what we can. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to attend and not have a too unpleasant balance”, said President Petro, who promised to visit the island this Sunday to take stock of what happened.
About this, several citizens of the island told this newspaper that since last Tuesday the authorities were telling them that they were going to experience heavy rains during the week. But they warned that they did not expect the situation to get so complicated.
The Ungrd assured that this Sunday morning, once the hurricane passes through the island, the complete report of the damage and the victims will be delivered.
120
kilometers per hour was the speed of the winds of Hurricane Julia at 6:30 p.m.