Colombian rescue teams continue to search for at least fifteen missing people, following a devastating landslide in the city of Manizales that has already claimed 44 lives.
The head of the Colombian National Relief Agency, Cesar Uruena, told news agency EFE that the remaining 15 missing people means that relief workers would have to continue their search tasks manually.
Only after the remaining missing persons are located will the search mission be able to move forward with the help of heavy machinery in order to move the massive amounts of debris.
Uruena warns that any sudden movement with large machinery would “remove the possibility of rescuing anyone alive.”
Rescue workers are still hoping to find people alive in the rubble, despite the extended period that has passed since the landslide took place on Saturday.
A number of Manizales families were given hope by the discovery in the rubble of a surviving dog late Sunday night, but the chance of finding more survivors diminishes significantly with the passing of time.
In addition to the 44 people that have already been confirmed dead, the landslide has left 158 people homeless.
The massive landslide is one of the worst emergencies to take place during this years rainy season, which is due to last until the end of December and has already claimed the lives of 81 Colombians.