Heavy rains in central Colombia have caused landslides. At least 14 people died in the disaster. Meanwhile, 35 other people were injured and are still being treated in hospital. The BBC reported that the landslide hit several houses in the municipality of Dosquebradas, Risaralda Province on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. There are fears that the death toll will rise.
However, residents near the overflowing river have been moved to safe places. According to Colombian disaster management officials, rescue teams are already searching for more survivors in the mud.
"The very loud noise scared us. We came out and saw a piece of the mountain above the houses," taxi driver Dubernei Hernandez told AFP news agency. "I went to the place and it was a disaster, with people trapped." As reported by Reuters, based on the latest report by the UNGRD disaster agency, at least 14 people lost their lives and one is still missing, while 35 people were injured. Authorities have evacuated dozens of homes when the Otun river overflowed.
Meanwhile, ABC News reported, an official said one person was reported missing after a deadly landslide occurred in Risaralda, in the municipality of Pereira. The mayor of Pereira, Carlos Maya, has confirmed the death toll. He also warned that the risk of landslides would continue in the area. Therefore, he urged people to leave to avoid further casualties. There were many houses that were affected by the landslide because the construction of the buildings was made of wood. More than 60 homes were evacuated as the team assessed the damage and risk. For this incident, Colombian President Ivan Duque has sent condolences to the families of the victims who died in the landslide. Colombia is often hit by landslides because of its mountainous terrain. Houses erected on hillsides pose a special risk during the rainy season. Landslides also had occurred in Colombia a few years ago, to be precise in the city of Mocoa. Approximately 250 people died in the incident. In 2017, a major landslide in Mocoa City also killed 320 people.