Colombia – At least 14 died and several got injured after a mudslide buried multiple homes, reported Colombia’s national disaster agency on Tuesday.
“Rescue efforts continue after at least 14 people were killed by a landslide in Colombia”, The Sun Tweeted.
According to the recent reports today, heavy rainfall in the region caused landslides and destroyed homes in Pereira and Dosquebradas cities, residing in the western-central Risaralda province of Colombia.
Right after the incident, the disaster management authority of Colombia reported 7 deaths. However, the death score got doubled.
“A landslide has killed 6 people and injured 21 in the city of Pereira after heavy rains”, Tweet arrived right after the incident.
Rescue teams immediately responded to the emergency call and swift through the mud in search of survivors, reported UNGRD.
“Desperate hunt for survivors.
@AFP’s Luis Robayo photographs rescue efforts after a landslide caused by heavy rains buried several homes in the impoverished municipality of Dosquebradas, Risaralda department, Colombia”, reported, AFP News Agency
“A very loud noise scared us. We went out and saw a piece of the mountain on top of the houses,” the 42-year-old taxi driver, Dubernei Hernandez, revealed to AFP news.
“I went to that place and it was a disaster, with people trapped.”
Hernandez helped dig out one survivor and two dead bodies. Around 5 houses were buried in the mud, he told the news outlet.
“We have counted 14 people who died, and 34 people have been injured by the landslide,” said Carlos Maya, Mayor of Pereira.
Maya added that after the deadly landslide incident, around 54 homes were emptied in Pereira and 15 in Dosquebradas to reduce the future threat of possible landslides.
Families residing close to the river moved out due to the high risk of flooding in the region.
“We are currently managing the entire evacuation perimeter because we still detect soil instability,” said the government secretary in Risaralda, Alvaro Arias to Blu Radio.
Mudslides are frequent in Colombia as it lies in the mountainous region. However, it seems more destruction than other mountainous regions due to informal house construction. In 2017, the country witnessed its most disastrous landslide in the city of Mocoa, which killed around 320 people.
