Bogotá (Colombia) (AFP) – The death toll from the mudslide that occurred in western Colombia rose to 34 on Saturday, authorities announced.
The mudslide hit a busy municipal road on Friday in a mountainous area linking the cities of Quibdo and Medellin.
The National Disaster Risk Management Unit initially said in a statement that at least 18 people had been killed. The agency also said that at least 35 injured people were taken to hospitals.
The Chocó Governor's Office announced the new death toll, as a unified command center was established to coordinate search and rescue operations. She said in a statement that 17 bodies had been identified and that officials were trying to identify 17 more. The prosecutor's office confirmed the death toll.
Earlier, Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez said, in a message posted on the social networking site X, that the search continues “for the people who are still trapped under the landslide.” She added that a number of children were among the victims, but did not mention their number.
The Risk Management Unit did not specify what could have caused the mudslide, but the Ministry of Defense reported on Friday night that it was raining in the area, making rescue operations difficult.
A video posted on the X website appeared to show the moment of the mudslide, when the side of a mountain slid onto the highway, covering some cars. The Associated Press was unable to verify its authenticity.
President Gustavo Petro tweeted on Friday that his government would provide all necessary support in what he described as a “horrific tragedy.”
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This story has been corrected to show that the name of one of the cities is Quibdo, not Quibo.
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