A landslide buried three buses and a motorcycle that were traveling on a road between the departments of Chocó and Risaralda, in northwestern Colombia.
The emergency authorities have so far confirmed the death of a girl and the rescue of four other people alive, one of them with serious injuries.
However, at least 31 people who were in those vehicles remain missing.
“The emergency trapped 31 passengers on a bus from the Arauca company and on a motorcycle.
Operational entities in search and rescue work are present in the area that presents communication difficulties," reported the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) on Sunday afternoon.
The accident occurred this Sunday morning when the mountain fell off and fell on three vehicles that were crossing the highway in the municipality of Pueblo Rico in the sector known as La Cabaña.
Although the avalanche fell on three public transport buses, the most affected was one of the Arauca company that made the route between Cali (Valle del Cauca) and Condoto (Chocó) and was completely buried.
Four of the five rescued were transferred to the hospitals of Pueblo Rico and Pereira, where they arrived with minor traumas and are now stable.
The @UNGRD supports the work of the response entities of the #SNGRD @DNBomberosCol @DefensaCivilCo, @PoliciaColombia, @cruzrojacol and personnel from the highway concession are already in the area and the rescue efforts of the people who are are in progress trapped.
pic.twitter.com/TTDXi3Is1Z
– UNGRD🇨🇴 (@UNGRD) December 4, 2022
The search for the disappeared continues in the area, but according to the governor of Risaralda, Víctor Manuel Tamayo, the rains and instability in the terrain have hindered the rescue operations.
Indeed, according to the direction of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), there have been other "two additional mass movements" that have made the work of rescuers difficult.
At the scene of the tragedy, there are 70 workers from the National Fire Department of Colombia.
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