The District Ombudsman’s Office of Medellín, through its Observatory of Environment, Resettlement, and Habitat, has warned of intensifying heatwaves in the district, particularly affecting neighborhoods such as Guayabal, Girardot, Francisco Antonio Zea, Alfonso López, Héctor Abad Gómez, La Toscana, Robledo, and Castilla. These Medellin barrios experience the highest temperatures due to urban heat islands formed by a lack of trees and green cover.
Edna Romero, leader of the Observatory, attributes the increased heat to the creation of heat islands from deforestation and the removal of the vegetative layer. A global climate update by the World Meteorological Organization reported a 1.5% rise in global temperatures due to climate change. Combined with the ongoing El Niño phenomenon in Latin America, this leads to higher temperatures across the region. The observatory advises against cutting down trees, polluting water sources, starting open fires, and emphasizes staying hydrated.