Authorities have reported that the casualty count has increased to 34 due to a mudslide in western Colombia.
On Friday, a mudslide hit a heavily trafficked road in a mountainous region that connects Quibdó and Medellín.
The initial statement from the national disaster risk management unit reported that a minimum of 18 individuals had lost their lives. The agency also stated that 35 injured individuals had been transported to hospitals for treatment.
The governor’s office in Chocó, which set up a unified command post to manage search and rescue efforts, reported a new death toll on Saturday. According to a statement, 17 bodies have been identified and efforts are ongoing to identify 17 more. The prosecutor’s office has also confirmed the number of deaths.
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Colombian vice-president Francia Márquez recently stated on the social media platform X that efforts are still being made to locate individuals who may be trapped under the landslide. She also mentioned that there are some children among the casualties, although she did not provide a specific count.
The risk management team did not identify the cause of the mudslide, but the defense department stated on Friday evening that heavy rain had been occurring in the region, hindering rescue efforts.
A video shared on X allegedly captured the occurrence of a mudslide, in which a mountainside collapsed onto a highway and buried several cars. The credibility of this footage could not be confirmed by the Associated Press.
On Friday, President Gustavo Petro announced on Twitter that his administration will offer full assistance in response to what he referred to as a “terrible tragedy”.
Source: theguardian.com
