Heavy Rains Cause Landslide in Colombia, At least 56 Dead

On Monday, heavy rains triggered a massive landslide and flash floods in a town in the northwest Mountains in Colombia killing at least 56 people and injuring scores. The mad rush of water and mud destroyed everything that came on its path. The landslide hit the area around 3 am (local time) on Monday when most residents were sleeping. A large area has been buried in mud and debris.

Santa Margarita, a small town in Colombia, has been wiped off the map. It is one of the four towns that make up a municipality, Salgar. Santa Margarita has been cut off from the municipality as the road and the bridge that connects the town have been damaged. More than 30 homes have been damaged and the area had no drinking water, electricity or gas.

A very broad river of just mud not only destroyed the entire area, but it also dragged huge trees and houses along with it. On Monday afternoon, the residents of the area somehow managed to take out whatever they could from piles of debris as dump trucks arrived to clear the mess.

The Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, reached the area that has been affected and met with the local officials to assess the situation. Rescue teams including extra emergency teams, humanitarian aid and rescue dogs have been sent to the affected area.

Colombia has a mountainous landscape and experiences a tropical climate making the state prone to heavy rain and landslides.

Image Credit (oann.com)