Colombia’s landslide causes 14 deaths so far

Bogota, Jul 18 (Prensa Latina) The Governor of Cundinamarca, Colombia, Nicolas García Bustos, on Tuesday declared the state of public calamity, after the landslide had registered 14 deaths so far. By such an action, the authorities seek to make resources available to assist the families affected by the phenomenon.

July 18, 2023
16:32

Early this morning, an avalanche in the Quetame community left so far 14 deaths, six injured admitted to hospitals and an undetermined number of missing persons.

Garcia argued to a local radio station that since yesterday afternoon heavy rains began in that sector, located in the east of the department, which intensified at midnight when the ‘water bombs’ of the flash floods began.

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro stated, “deaths from Quetame, Cundinamarca, demonstrate the imperative need to arrange the territory around water and free its spaces in the Land Management Plans of the municipalities. Mayors must prioritize this principle,” he said so in Brussels at the EU-CELAC Summit.

Petro, who brought to this bi-regional meeting the urgent fight against climate change, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.

Currently, work is being carried out in the area to advance in the rescue work, as well as in the cleaning of the debris caused by the earthquake.

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