Colombia: Mysterious foam covers the entire city – and stinks terribly

Huge layers of foam from a polluted river have reached residential areas in the Colombian city of Mosquera, worrying residents.

The environmental authority of the Cundinamarca department, which includes the capital Bogotá and Mosquera, around 20 kilometers away, attributed the foam to large quantities of cleaning agents and other chemical substances in a statement. She urged households and industry to avoid excessive use of these agents and substances.

Foam in Mosquera: “The smell is terrible”

According to the British “Guardian”, the smell of the foam is difficult to bear. The community leader, Luz Mariela Gómez, told local TV stations: “The smell is terrible – and we have had to endure this foam for a long time” and added: “We are taking a risk. Someone could fall down there and we won’t be able to find him”. .

The dirty and stinking foam was blown through the city streets by the wind. The weather is also the reason why the heavy foam was formed: the heavy rain caused the polluted water to move more and the foam was formed, said Edwin García, director of the environmental agency’s laboratory, according to the release. Mayor Gian Gerometta explained that a blockage caused by plants in the river also affected the situation. “We are aware of the risks that this phenomenon may pose,” he tweeted. April has been the rainy season in much of Colombia.

The phenomenon is not entirely new for the residents of Mosquera, as the city administration had pointed out. But the foam had never been seen in the area in these quantities, it said in a statement. City administration and environmental authorities have taken measures to mitigate the effects. The authority also pointed out that it built the Mosquera water treatment plant, which went into operation in 2020.

Sources: “Guardians”

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