Rescue crews searched for survivors after mudslides devastated areas of southern Colombia, killing at least 200 people. Triggered by sudden, heavy storms, mud and water swept away hundreds of homes.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/Colombian Presidency
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A mudslide triggered late on Friday by heavy rains in Colombia's southern Putumayo province has reportedly killed at least 200 people. Rescue crews are scrambling to save dozens more who have gone missing.
At least 234 people were confirmed dead, 202 injured, 220 missing, according to Colombian Red Cross chief Cesar Uruena.
'Unprecedented tragedy'
Images of the town of Mocoa showed houses, bridges, vehicles and trees swept away, leaving piles of wrecked timber and brown mud.
Governor Sorrel Aroca of the Putumayo department described the catastrophe as "an unprecedented tragedy," saying that "hundreds of families have not yet been found and whole neighborhoods missing."
Colombia landslides leave trail of destruction
More than 200 people have been killed and dozens of homes have been destroyed by violent mudslides in southern Columbia.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/L. Robayo
Colombian town deluged by mud
A surge of mud and water slammed into the southwestern Colombian town of Mocoa late on Friday night. The army described how three nearby rivers burst their banks, causing a huge "avalanche" of mud that damaged roads and swept away people, cars and homes.
Image: Reuters/Colombian Presidency/C. Carrion
Roads turned to rivers
Several streets were turned into rivers of mud by the extreme weather, which followed several days of torrential rain. The muddy waters carried a torrent of debris through the town and residents said they had very little time to escape.
Image: picture-alliance/Zumapress/L. Castro
Surveying the damage
Locals described returning to the town at daybreak on Saturday and finding "bodies all over." Rescue teams continued to search for possible survivors over the weekend as more than 200 residents remained missing. Many streets were left in an unrecognizable state, filled with rocks, wooden planks and mud.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Ejército Nacional de Colombia
Colombian army called in to help
More than 1,100 soldiers and police officers were called in to help dig people out in 17 affected neighborhoods in the province of Putumayo. Mocoa was left without power or running water, and there were reports of people looting stores in search of bottled water.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/Colombian Presidency
Destruction of bridges leaves Mocoa cut off
Several deadly landslides have struck Colombia in recent months. But even so, the scale of the Mocoa disaster is likely to haunt residents for many years. The town's mayor said several neighborhoods and two bridges were destroyed.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Mintransporte
Colombian president promises help
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos is due to pay a second visit to the disaster area on Sunday. "Here we are facing a disaster caused by nature, by climate change," he said earlier. He's already declared a state of emergency and pledged aid to those affected.
The subsiding waters have left buildings and vehicles partly buried in the mud. Eduardo Vargas was among many local residents to return to Mocoa on Saturday, saying there is "nothing left. But thank God we have our lives."
Image: Getty Images/AFP/L. Robayo
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Meanwhile, President Juan Manuel Santos declared a state of emergency and ordered rescue crews and the military to respond to the disaster in the town of Mocoa, where he arrived to "guarantee attention to the victims."
Upon arriving in Mocoa on Saturday, Santos said the death toll could rise. The town of 40,000 people was also left without water and electricity.
Rescue efforts were also being hampered by continuing bad weather and damaged infrastructure.
"There are mobility issues on almost 80 percent of the roads, and from where the road ends, it is three hours to where the landslide took place," said one police officer.
Colombia's El Tiempo newspaper said a wider loss of life had been avoided due to the alarm that was sounded as the river's levels rose, leading many people to flee their homes for safety.
30 percent of monthly rainfall in one night
The mudslides in the heavily forested province were caused by the rise of water levels in the Mocoa River and three tributaries, sending mud and debris into homes overnight.
According to President Santos, some 130 millimeters (5 inches) of rain fell on Friday night.
"That means 30 percent of monthly rainfall fell last night, which precipitated a sudden rise of several rivers," he said.
Although landslides and heavy rains are common in the mountainous area, close to Ecuador and Peru, the state meteorological agency said March was Colombia's rainiest month in six years.
