Heavy Rain Triggers Deadly Landslide

Posted: March 30, 2023 9:30 am

The U.S. is not the only part of the world dealing with extreme weather over the last few weeks. A massive landslide took out a village in Ecuador earlier in the week, leaving at least 12 people dead and dozens more missing. Here is the latest information on this deadly act of Mother Nature.

Monday Morning Landslide Sweeps Through Ecuadorian Village

As of late Wednesday, rescue teams were still searching for survivors after a landslide left at least 67 people missing. The event happened early Monday in the village of Alausi, located in the country’s central Andean region. Alausi is located about 140 miles to the south of the capital city of Quito.

Officials estimate that the landslide measured about a half of a mile in length. Heavy rain across the region over the last several days is being blamed for the landslide. Residents reported hearing tremors on the mountain just prior to the landslide plunging down the hillside and into the village.

The debris buried several homes and other buildings, knocking down trees and trapping people. Over 30 people also reported injuries. While the initial death toll was placed at 16, local officials have since revised this estimate. According to Ecuador’s Risk Management Secretariat, there have been over 30 people rescued from beneath the debris and rubble.

President Guillermo Lasso traveled to the village on Monday night, lending moral support to the hundreds of crews digging through what remained of the damaged homes and other structures. Lasso said that the efforts to find survivors would continue as long as necessary.

Crews said that it is becoming more difficult to find survivors because of the earth buildup as more time passes. This buildup reduces the space for pockets of oxygen to find their way to potential survivors.

Shelters Set Up for Evacuees

Some residents have been ordered to evacuate because of the instability of the ground following the landslide. Temporary shelters have been set up to help those who have been displaced. Local officials have said that about 500 people have been affected by the landslide.

An official with the Quito Fire Department said that the debris area is covered by over two million cubic meters of earth, rocks, and mud. The rubble measures up to three stories in some places.

Crews are leaning on the use of heavy machinery to try to find survivors. In addition to the local fire departments, police officers, army, and Red Cross crews, the rescuers are also being helped by the Indigenous people in the region.

In addition to wiping out the village, the debris also took out part of the Pan-American Highway. Some schools have transitioned to an online model in the aftermath of the landslide. Lastly, about 60% of the potable water service in the local area has been impacted by the disaster.

It has been a difficult week for Ecuadorians. The landslide occurred just one week after 16 people died in a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in the southern portion of the country and into northern Peru.

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