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Summary Thousands of residents living around the city of Cucuta had their drinking water supplies cut off.
Vast quantities of oil collected in a north Colombian river on Tuesday, after landslides caused by heavy rainfall damaged pipes.Thousands of residents living around the city of Cucuta, 568km (353 miles) north-east of Bogota, had their drinking water supplies cut off as workers desperately tried to stop contamination spreading.The spill occurred in the Iscala tributary, which leads to the Pamplonita River, where reservoirs contain the citys vital stores of fresh water.Alemar Garcia, director of the Disaster Prevention Office, explained that authorities had decided to close nearby aqueducts.At 10:35 in the morning the Caño-Limón Coveñas oil pipeline suffered a rupture and its contents spilt into the Iscala River, which connects to the Pamplonita River. As a preventive measure, we ordered the closing of the inlets of the aqueducts in Los Patios and Cucuta, said Garcia.Governor for North Santander province, William Villamizar, said local authorities may look to their Venezuelan neighbours for help.If it necessary we will ask for the help of Venezuelan populations, like San Antonio de Ureñas and San Cristobel in Táchira state, who can help us in this critical moment, said Villamizar.It is believed that bad weather provoked a landslide, which crashed into the pipes that belong to state oil company Ecopetrol.Fresh water is currently being delivered to the area and its surrounding area in tanks. Priority is being given to hospitals and health centres.
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