A massive landslide devastated a neighborhood in the city of Bello, north of Medellin, Colombia, yesterday, leaving an initial tragic toll of 10 dead and 15 missing. Authorities warn however, that the death toll could rise, as the enormous amount of earth swept away dozens of houses located on a mountainside.
In the early morning hours yesterday, a huge roar carried away about 50 homes. Most were irregularly constructed, forming an informal settlement on the outskirts of Bello.
Unfortunately, these types of tragedies are not uncommon, due to the combination of heavy rains and landslides in places where housing is built illegally.
Strong landslide causes tragedy in Bello, Colombia
The overflow of a stream located between the cities of Medellin and Bello, Colombia, caused an emergency that has so far left ten people dead and 15 missing.
The tragedy is due to heavy rains recorded in the region in recent hours. The river overflowed its banks and affected dozens of houses located on a mountainside.
“So far, 10 bodies have been found and 15 injured people are receiving care. Search and rescue operations continue,” said the Governor of Antioquia, Andrés Julián Rendón, on his social media.
According to authorities, the tragedy occurred around 3:30 a.m. yesterday, Tuesday, meaning the landslide caught most residents in the area while they were sleeping in their homes.
The force of the water flooded several sectors of the area and streets became rivers, sweeping away everything in their path. Images released by local media show houses completely covered by tons of mud and debris.
Rescue teams, alongside community volunteers, are working to remove earth amid uncertainty and fear of new emergencies.
“I deeply regret the deaths of several people due to the emergency occurring in Bello, a neighboring municipality. I have spoken with its Mayor, Lorena, and we have offered her all the support and capabilities of Medellin,” wrote the Mayor of Medellin, Federico Gutiérrez, on his X social media account.
Gutiérrez added that Medellin firefighters were sent to the affected neighborhoods of Bello where, according to the Mayor, 22 firefighting units and members of other rescue teams are working on the rescue.
Tragedy repeated due to illegal construction in Colombia
According to Jose Rolando Serrano, Security Secretary of Bello, the municipality to which the affected neighborhood belongs, the sector is the second-largest human settlement in Colombia.
According to Serrano, “30,000 people” live in the neighborhood, “who built their homes on unstable land,” right on the dangerous mountainside.
This sadly frequent phenomenon is worsened by the irregular construction of housing in high-risk zones, such as unstable slopes and flood-prone sectors, where thousands of families live in vulnerable conditions.
Although June is not traditionally a rainy month in Colombia, several departments are under alerts due to the consequences of heavy rains.
This problem is not new. In 2017, an avalanche in Mocoa (Putumayo) caused by the overflow of three rivers left 336 dead and more than 400 injured. Last year, on the road between Quibdó and Medellín, a landslide buried several vehicles, claiming the lives of at least 34 people.
According to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), more than 600 municipalities are on alert for possible landslides. The lack of urban planning and the occupation of land unsuitable for housing remain key factors behind these tragedies.