Guatemala Landslide: Death toll now at 161

Around 131 people have lost their lives as landslides smashed the Guatemala region on Thursday. Along with the dead around 300 people are missing. On Thursday night, following heavy rain, floods destroyed around 125 houses in the region. The rescue efforts had to be suspended late on Sunday as rain had resumed. Now with every passing hour hopes for finding survivors fade. According to local officials the impact of rain was aggravated by a nearby river. There is a chance that the number of deaths and cases of people missing could increase.

As reported earlier the numbers will rise, currently the scenario stands that around 161 bodies have been recovered from El Cambray, few kilometers east of Guatemala City. The numbers will continue to rise as and when time passes by. All this was a result of heavy rains which triggered landslides. A portion of a huge hill broke and came crashing down on the village. Since then rescuers and people have been digging with shovels and sometimes with their hands in search of survivors. On Tuesday the Red Cross Society asked for donations of dry ice for their makeshift relief camp

Image credit: usatoday.com