Deadly landslide hits Marquetalia, central Colombia
Image credit: DNA
At least 11 people have been killed and 4 injured after a landslide hit several homes in the central Colombian town of Marquetalia (population 15 000) during the early morning hours of October 11, 2018.
The event took place at around 02:30 local time after heavy rain, destroying seven homes in the Los Andes neighborhood, the disaster relief agency for Caldas province said.
"The official information of what occurred in Marquetalia is of 11 people dead, the number of the missing is still not exact and the terrain is being evaluated for a preventative evacuation of families," the provincial agency said.
"We are working hand in hand with the political and administrative authorities from the first hours that the tragedy began in Marquetalia Caldas in order to help and provide the corresponding help to the affected communities," said CR. Necton Borja of the Caldas police department.
58 people were rescued as of October 12.
Colombia's National Institute for Environmental Studies has warned that eight provinces in the country could face mudslides in the coming days.
A massive mudslide – one of the deadliest disasters in Colombian history, with 316 people dead, 332 injured, 103 disappeared and over 17 000 affected people, hit the southern city of Mocoa in April 2017.
The reconstruction process is still underway as of August 2018 and many people are still living in temporary shelters.
Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.
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