Landslides in Carmen de Atrato, Colombia claim at least 36lives

At least 36 people have been killed and another 30 injured in Carmen de Atrato, Colombia, after heavy rainfall triggered at least four landslides on the Medellin-Quibido road on Friday, January 12, 2024. The most devastating landslide resulted in thousands of cubic meters of earth collapsing onto a house and vehicles.

The western Colombian municipality of Carmen de Atrato experienced intense rainfall on January 12, resulting in at least four significant landslides along the vital Medellin-Quibido road.

The most severe landslide caused the collapse of thousands of cubic meters of earth onto a house where people had sought refuge from the rain, as well as onto numerous vehicles. This particular landslide alone accounted for the majority of the casualties. Jaime Herrera, the mayor of Carmen de Atrato, emphasized the critical situation and the potential for the number of fatalities to increase as rescue operations progress.

Witnesses at the scene captured harrowing footage, showing vehicles halted on the road as the mountainside succumbed to the relentless downpour, resulting in a catastrophic collapse.

Nubia Carolina Cordoba, the Governor of Choco, acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating that a “serious emergency” had transpired on the road connecting Quibido to Medellin. The governor affirmed the commitment to recovery efforts, focusing on the retrieval of bodies and providing urgent care to those wounded in the incident.

References:

¹ Atención: Derrumbe en vía Medellín-Quibdó ya dejó 18 muertos – El Colombiano – January 13, 2024

² Landslides leave several dead in Colombia – La Prensa Latina – January 13, 2024

Featured image credit: Mojo Story (stillshot)