[ad_1]
Seven members of the same family have been identified as the deceased from a landslide that occurred in the La Oscurana neighborhood of Mallama municipality (Nariño), triggered by heavy rainfall late on Friday, February 6. Rescue agencies managed to recover the bodies after hours of searching.
The Mallama government secretary, Darío Palacios, confirmed that among the deceased are Pablo Palacios, his wife Luz, and their son Jesús Darío. Other victims include Pedro Palacios, his wife Julia Guelpad, their son César Palacios, and their granddaughter Cintia Palacios, a well-known athlete in the area.
Now you can follow us on Facebook and on our WhatsApp Channel
The official, a close relative of the victims, explained that the landslide destroyed several homes where two uncles, their wives, and their children were present.
The emergency mobilized members of the Volunteer Fire Department, Civil Defense, and the local community, allowing for the rescue of the seven victims. The mayor of the municipality, Giovanny Muñoz, reported that the search and recovery operation extended into the night and early hours of Saturday, February 7, with additional support from the indigenous council.
The mayor called on the Nariño government and the national government for humanitarian assistance, as the avalanche left them without electricity, destroyed the water intake system, and caused damage to the health center.
The preliminary assessment provided by the mayor’s office indicates that there are two people injured, six homes destroyed, one educational center affected, and five vehicles damaged. The Secretary of Peace and Human Rights of the Nariño Government, Alex González, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and detailed that machinery from the Infrastructure Department intervened in the removal of earth to facilitate the rescue of those trapped under the mud.
González warned that the event exceeds the response capacities at the departmental level and requested national support to address the emergency. He emphasized the necessity of making an immediate investment in the La Oscurana neighborhood to recover the affected area. José Alfredo, a rescuer from the Mallama Civil Defense, specified that six teams from the Pasto Civil Defense, six from the Ipiales Fire Department, and a specialized search and rescue canine, as well as support from the Red Cross of Túquerres, participated in the operation.
The Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (Icbf) dispatched mobile units to provide psychosocial support to the victims’ families. According to Gabriel Ocaña, head of the Disaster Risk Management Unit of Nariño, the disaster was caused by a translational mass movement that completely destroyed five homes. He explained that an excavator and a technical commission for Risk Management were deployed to reinforce support efforts in the affected area.
The Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology, and Environmental Studies (Ideam) reported that intense rainfall will continue in various regions of the country throughout February. This situation has led to severe damage, as seen in Puerto Escondido (Córdoba), where families have lost their homes and are requesting relocation from the State.
According to Ideam, the behavior of the precipitation will vary by region. In the southern Andean region, a decrease is expected compared to January, while in the center, including the Coffee Axis, the rainfall will remain within the usual range. The Amazon region will continue to experience high volumes, especially in the Amazon Trap and the foothills of Putumayo. In the Pacific region, values will approach normal levels, though peaks are expected in western Cauca.
Ideam explained that rainfall levels in January and February have surpassed historical records due to the interaction of several atmospheric and climatic factors. Among these factors are the influx of humidity from the Brazilian Amazon and the Pacific Ocean, transported by winds to the central part of the country, the presence of the convective phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation, and climate variability processes that increased cloud cover, leading to moderate to heavy rains and thunderstorms.
[ad_2]