THIS is the horror moment a mountain collapses in Colombia after heavy rain, killing at least 17 people and injuring many others.
The landslide occurred around 4pm local time yesterday as vehicles waited on the road for it to reopen after it was blocked by falling rocks.
XA mountain collapsed in Columbia after heavy rain and killed 17 people[/caption]
The cars were waiting for the road to reopen after rocks fell but got caught up in the landslideX
Many of the victims were still sat in their cars as an avalanche of mud and rocks slid towards them and buried them.
Footage of the drama showed it happened so quickly they had no chance of escape.
The tragedy happened on the road between the city of Quibdo, the capital of the department of Choco, and Medellin.
The landslide caught on video was one of three within a three-mile stretch of the road that occurred in an area called Las Toldas.
Initial reports pointed to five people being killed and around 30 people injured.
Early this morning departmental governors in Choco confirmed in a tweet: “We regret to inform you that up until now 17 bodies have been removed in the area where the tragedy occurred.
“Twenty-five injured people have been taken to different hospitals.
“Search and rescue operations are continuing.”
Choco’s governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba described the landslides in a statement as an “emergency of serious proportions” as details of the number of fatalities began to emerge.
A survivor, speaking as he tried to help locate victims with other volunteers while they waited for expert help to arrive in the aftermath of the tragedy, said: “What’s happened here is a tragedy of enormous proportions.
“Several lifeless bodies have already been recovered, among them women and children.
“We’re moving several bodies that have been found. There are also some vehicles that are still trapped, where it’s believed there were people sleeping inside.”
Another eye witness told local media: “When the mountain came down some of us were taking refuge inside a nearby house. There are lots of dead and injured.”
The number of dead and injured is expected to rise as the search and rescue operation continues.
A national disaster management unit said after the regional government confirmation of 25 casualties that around 35 people were being treated for their injuries.
A helicopter has been mobilised as part of an air support operation to help emergency responders working on the ground.
The landslides in the affected area occurred after several hours of heavy rain.
Colombian president Gustavo Pedro tweeted early this morning: “All help available to Choco in this horrible tragedy.”
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