In December 2010, extreme rainfall during “La Niña” triggered a set of events, including massive landslides, that destroyed the entire town of Gramalote in the department of Norte de Santander, Colombia. The slow onset of the landslide allowed for the complete evacuation of the population before the town was destroyed. Immediately following the disaster, the Colombian President promised to rebuild Gramalote at a new site, and to make it “better than before,” a process that is on-going currently and will continue for some time into the future.
After the evacuation, the 3,400 people of the urban area were dispersed to temporary housing in various locations in nearby municipalities. Many moved to live with family and friends in Cúcuta, a city of approximately 850,000 inhabitants, located about two hours from Gramalote, where they have received emergency assistance over the last six years, mostly in the form of food and rent subsidies.
This report contains further information relating to the relocation process: Gramalote, Colombia- A displaced community in transition -Final