There are mornings when the whispers of the river seem almost like a conversation with the land — a soft murmur that, over time, climbs into a steady voice. In Montería, that voice is the Sinú River, whose rising waters have drawn the attention and care of a city lying low along its banks. As rivers swell and seasons shift, communities learn to listen to these natural rhythms, for within them lie reminders of how closely human life and water’s journey are intertwined. In recent days, that gentle dialogue has grown more urgent, calling families and authorities alike to pay heed.
In the quiet hours of Sunday’s dawn, the mayor of Montería, Hugo Kerguelén García, issued a decisive call — not born of panic, but of precaution. Residents dwelling between the streets of 7W and 9W along the Sinú’s left margin were asked to leave their homes, as the river’s sustained rise threatened to touch the spaces where daily life unfolds. This area, rich with the routines of community and family, became the focus of careful planning and organized movement to safer ground.
The story is not only one of water’s ascent, but of people’s readiness to protect the most precious parts of life. Dozens of neighborhoods — from El Tambo and El Rosario to Alboraya and Villa Real — joined that moment of transition, as homes were vacated with calm resolve and an eye toward collective well-being. Throughout the city, machinery and volunteers worked side by side, strengthening barriers and adjusting traffic patterns to ensure that the flow of both people and equipment remained smooth and secure.
The calls from local government have been as much about solidarity as they have been about safety. Alongside evacuation orders, leaders urged residents to listen only to official updates and to carry with them only what is indispensable, so that both individuals and teams tasked with response efforts could move with clarity and focus.
Outside of the core evacuation zone, other parts of Montería and the broader Córdoba region have felt the rains and flooding’s far-reaching effects. Schools have been temporarily closed, transport routes reassessed, and emergency shelters prepared to accommodate families who now find themselves displaced, even if only for a short season.
This interplay between river and city is not unfamiliar, but it remains poignant. Rivers carve paths that have nurtured human settlement for centuries, yet they also remind us that nature’s steadiness is matched by its capacity for change. In these moments, Montería’s residents and leaders have responded with both reflection and resolve, honoring the stories of water while stepping carefully into what comes next.
In the latest official notices, municipal authorities continue to monitor conditions around the Sinú and nearby areas, urging vigilance, calm, and adherence to guidance from emergency services as weather forecasts unfold and river levels are tracked.
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Sources RCN Radio La Jornada Chicanoticias Caracol Radio El Tiempo