33 dead, 19 injured in Colombian highway landslide
Landslide occurred near Carmen de Atrato in Choco due to heavy rains
A mudslide brought on by heavy rains in northwest Colombia killed at least 23 people and injured dozens on a busy highway, authorities said on Saturday in Bogota, Colombia on January 13, 2024.
BOGOTA, Colombia
At least 33 people were killed and 19 injured in a landslide in the Choco region of Colombia on a highway near the town of Carmen de Atrato.
The landslide occurred due to heavy rains.
"I deeply regret the death of 33 people in this tragedy, mostly children, according to preliminary reports from the territory," Vice President Francia Marquez said on X.
Governor of Antioquia, Andres Julian Rendon, said search and rescue teams had been dispatched to the region and many victims were trapped under the soil.
Vice President Francia Marquez wrote on X that the government is closely monitoring the situation.
An announcement from the Emergency Center said it received reports of landslides simultaneously, and it was noted that many more victims could be under the soil than initially thought.
