MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Rainstorm causes landslide which leaves at least 11 dead in Colombia

Governor Tamayo shared this photograph on Twitter

Heavy rains in the municipality of Dosquebradas, in the Colombian department of Risaralda, have resulted in a landslide that has killed at least 11 people and left many others injured, it was reported Tuesday.

Colombia's National Disaster and Risk Management Unit first mentiones seven casualties in the morning but the number has increased during the day, with the latest reports mentioning 11 lives had been lost.

Relief agencies fear other disasters could worsen the current scenario. They spoke specifically of the possible damming of the Otún River due to new landslides.

“At this moment we are running the entire evacuation perimeter because the instability of the terrain is still detected, a large fault continues in the avalanche,” Risaralda official Álvaro Arias said in a radio interview.

Ante situación registrada en el barrio la Esneda, he ordenado a Dirección de Gestión de Riesgo prestar todo el apoyo institucional a cuerpos de socorro de #Pereira y #Dosquebradas. Salvar vidas es prioridad. pic.twitter.com/YjkwBwDuFR

— Víctor Manuel Tamayo (@VictorTamayoV) February 8, 2022

The landslide recorded Tuesday in the La Esneda neighborhood in the city of Pereira -capital of Risaralda- has so far left 11 dead and 35 injured who are being treated in hospitals, the National Unit for Risk Management posted on Twitter.

President Iván Duque also sent a message to local residents through social media and said relief units were standing by should any new development make any additional assistance necessary.

Defense Minister Diego Molano also wrote on Twitter that the national authorities were working together with local officers to bring humanitarian help to the area.

Risaralda Governor Víctor Manuel Tamayo showed on Twitter the collapse at La Esneda and pointed out he had ordered the Risk Management Directorate to support rescue forces in the area.