Colombian mudslide toll mounts to 62
Print Edition
RESCUERS searched for more bodies yesterday as the death toll from a deadly flood and mudslide that swept through a Colombian town rose to 62.
The avalanche of mud and debris roared through the mountain town of Salgar before dawn on Monday, taking away homes and bridges. Authorities said the death toll, which hit 62, was likely to grow throughout the day as an undetermined number of people, perhaps as many as 100, remain missing.
Survivors recalled being stirred from their beds by a loud rumble and neighbors’ shouts, barely having enough time to gather their loved ones as modestly built homes and bridges plunged into the Libordiana ravine.
“The river took out everything in its path,” said construction worker Diego Agudelo, adding that the back part of his home was lost to the river.
Dozens of rescuers supported by Black Hawk helicopters on Monday evacuated residents near the ravine for fear of another mudslide. A red fire truck could be seen hauling away several bodies, their bare feet dangling from an open trunk.
President Juan Manuel Santos, who traveled to the town to oversee relief efforts, said several children lost their parents and the bodies of those killed needed to be transported to Medellin for identification. He vowed to rebuild the lost homes and provide shelter and assistance for the estimated 500 affected people.
“Nobody can bring back the dead ... but we have to handle this disaster as best we can to move forward,” Santos said.
By Monday evening, Carlos Ivan Marquez, National Disasters Unit chief, said 58 people were dead and 37 injured.
The tragedy in Salgar appeared to be the single deadliest event in the country since a 1999 earthquake in the city of Armenia that left hundreds dead.
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