[News] Ecuador: the number of deaths due to a landslide in Alausí rises to 13

[Draeno]

 

The Ecuadorian Prosecutor's Office reported this Wednesday afternoon that there are already 13 citizens killed by the landslide in Alausí, in the center of the country. Until this Tuesday, rescuers had reported that eight people had been found under the rubble and mud. However, the Public Ministry reported that as they progressed with the investigation of possible survivors, they found a new body.

Last Sunday, part of the Andes mountain in central Ecuador collapsed and leveled the city. Reports from government entities indicate that at least 500 residents have been affected and, on the other hand, there is a maximum alert in case more survivors are found.

According to the Risk Management Secretariat, until Tuesday there were also 67 missing and 31 injured, while 32 people could be rescued alive in the moments after the disaster.

As victims there are 116 people corresponding to 30 families who are housed in temporary shelters set up in this municipality of the Andean province of Chimborazo.

There are also 163 houses affected and the number of buildings destroyed is still under evaluation, since many of them are under several meters and thousands of tons of earth, after part of the mountain fell.

The emergency has mobilized numerous fire brigades from various parts of the country and specialized rescue teams in these situations, to which contingents of soldiers and residents and volunteers with picks and shovels have joined.

Although with each passing hour the chances of finding people alive are decreasing, the magnitude of the landslide prevents rescuers from quickly locating people who are thought to be still buried.

The area where the landslide occurred had been on "yellow alert" since February due to the rains that hit Ecuador. In addition, the authorities had alerted about the collapse of the road in the sector where the avalanche occurred.

In place of the disaster, families of trapped people and rescuers continue to dig. From time to time clothes, photographs and personal belongings appear.

Last December the inhabitants of Alausí had denounced several cracks in the hill that, over the weeks, exceeded one meter in width.

The National Risk Secretariat claims to have sent the governor (government delegate) of the province of Chimborazo and the mayor of Alausí a technical report on March 11 that recommended and requested the evacuation of the po[CENSORED]tion, among other measures

President Guillermo Lasso has assured that the rescue work will continue "as long as it is necessary."

Before the landslide, Ecuador already reported 22 deaths and more than 6,900 homes affected by heavy rainfall.

The winter season forced the Government to declare a state of emergency last week in 13 of the 24 provinces, in order to mobilize economic resources to attend to the victims of floods and landslides

 

https://www.elespectador.com/mundo/america/ecuador-al-menos-13-muertos-y-60-desaparecidos-por-deslizamiento-de-tierra-en-alausi/