, home to the wa hera group. the harsh weather is blamed for hundreds of deaths, including children. we have this report from wa hera. >> reporter: every day when this woman and her son travel under a blistering sun in search of the water. they are part of the people that for centuries have inhabited this peninsula in northern columbia. water here has been scarce, but a continuing drought means getting hold of it has become an almost impossible task. >> translation: our reserves would last for a year and rain would come. they are gone now. >> reporter: like many, she walks all the way to a government-built well, hours from home. what she find is salt water barely fit to drink. >> translation: this water makes us sick, and gives us stomachation and diarrhoea, especially to the kids. it's all we have. >> reporter: filled with collected rain, traditional reserves used to be the main source for clean and portable water. without the rain, most of them, like this one, have gone dry. not an until drop has one in this te