Authorities say at least 33 people have died in landslides triggered by heavy rains in Chocó province.
At least 33 people died in a landslide triggered by heavy rains in northwestern Colombia, authorities said.
“I deeply regret the death of 33 people in this tragedy, mostly children, according to preliminary reports from the territory,” Vice President Francia Márquez wrote on social media platform X on Saturday.
“At this time, search and rescue actions continue for the people who remain trapped,” he said.
The landslide, which occurred Friday afternoon, covered a road connecting the cities of Quibdó and Medellín in the Pacific province of Chocó, authorities said.
At this time, search and rescue actions continue for the people who remain trapped under the landslide on the Quibdó-Medellín highway, in Carmen del Atrato.
I deeply regret the death of 33 people in this tragedy, mostly girls and…
— Francia Márquez Mina (@FranciaMarquezM) January 13, 2024
Dozens of people were also injured on a busy road and some people were missing after mud covered several cars on the road.
A specialized rescue group from the Colombian police rescued the survivors and recovered the bodies on Saturday.
Medellín authorities said that as of early Saturday morning, 17 bodies had been transported there and that forensic experts had identified three of them, the AFP news agency reported. No names were revealed.
Due to several road closures, rescue teams and firefighters struggled to reach the worst affected area.
“Since last night we have been working hand in hand with emergency and relief organizations on the Quibdó-Medellín highway,” the police said. “We deploy all our capabilities to rescue and help those affected.”
About 50 soldiers also arrived to help, and images released by the army showed men covered in mud struggling across swampy terrain.
“All the help available [is being sent] to Chocó in this horrible tragedy,” President Gustavo Petro said on social media on Friday.
The landslide in Chocó, which is located in the Pacific Ocean and is home to a vast tropical forest, occurred after more than 24 hours of heavy rain.
Images on social media showed the moment a large chunk of earth broke away from a mountain and fell on top of several cars driving on the flooded road below.
The road has been closed by the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) of Colombia.
A landslide in the same area of Colombia in December 2022 killed at least 27 people, leaving them trapped in a bus and other vehicles.
While much of Colombia suffers a period of drought, the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies has warned about the risk of heavy rains in the Amazon and in several departments bordering the Pacific.
