Silver Spring, Maryland--On Monday, December 15, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) will respond to the immediate needs of more than 1,700 people in southern Colombia, after the country's highest volcano, Nevado del Huila, erupted in late November, triggering deadly avalanches that killed at least 12, destroyed six bridges, and affected at least 12,000 people.

ADRA is providing emergency food aid for 345 displaced families in the municipality of Belalcazar, as well as in indigenous communities in the affected region, in the southwestern province of Cauca. Priority is being given to families with disabled members, elderly citizens, women-headed households, and those who have lost everything in the disaster. Families will receive a food parcel filled with rice, red beans, vegetable oil, corn flour, sugar cane bars, and iodized salt. Each parcel will provide a family of five with enough food for two weeks.

Funding for this emergency response is provided by ADRA International, the ADRA Inter-America Regional office, based in Miami, Florida, the ADRA Colombia Union office, and the ADRA Colombia Pacific office located in the city of Cali, in western Colombia.

"After the avalanche, there has been a lot of heavy rain, initially making it impossible to reach survivors by land," said Gabriel Villarreal, country director for ADRA Colombia.

In order to provide the necessary assistance, ADRA Colombia is working in coordination with the Colombian Red Cross to bring the emergency goods from Popayan, the provincial capital of Cauca, to the town of Guadualejo, a distance of 56 miles (90 km). Once the aid arrives there, it will then be transported by mule to the targeted area 6 miles (10 km) away.

On November 20, at 9:45 p.m., Nevado del Huila erupted, spewing gas and hot ash into the air, melting snow, and causing mud, rocks, and floodwater to rush down to the River Paez, destroying homes, bridges, and crops, and isolating farmland, villages, and indigenous communities in the region.

Families in the severely affected municipalities of Belalcazar, Inza, Tesalia, Paicol, La Plata and Nataga were displaced to provisional shelters. Belalcazar, which is located in southwestern Cauca, is the region most affected by the disaster. Much of that region is home to the Paez, an indigenous community also known as the Nasa.

Nevado del Huila is located 155 miles (250 km) southwest of the nation's capital, Bogota, is one of the highest peaks in the Andean Central Cordillera, rising to 17,700 feet (5,364 m) above sea level. After being dormant for more than 500 years, it became active in 2007. Its last eruption in April 2008, forced an estimated 3,500 people from their homes.

To assist in ADRA's emergency response in Colombia, contributions can be donated to ADRA's Emergency Response Fund, by phone at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372) or online at www.adra.org.

ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.

Author: Nadia McGill

Media Contact: John Torres, Senior Public Relations Manager, ADRA International 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 Phone: 301.680.6357 E-mail: Media.Inquiries@adra.org