Rescue workers recovered the bodies of 17 people who were buried when a 50,000 cubic meter landslide destroyed more than 40 houses in Bello, a town just north of Medellin. There are still 128 people missing and feared dead.
Early Monday morning, rescue workers rescued a baby from the rubble alive. However, according to newspaper El Tiempo, the baby died after being taken to a nearby hospital.
So far, only one woman has been found alive.
Some 700 rescue workers, consisting of local police, army, neighbors, and members of the Red Cross, are searching for survivors and the bodies of those killed in the tragedy.
Authorities initially feared that up to 200 people were missing, but after making an inventory of missing persons, the official number was set at 145.
Local authorities say the rescue workers will continue to work as long as weather conditions allow. According to General Alberto Mejia of the army’s 4th Brigade, rescue efforts will only be suspended if there is more rain that could endanger the workers.
A spokesman of the local Disaster Attention and Prevention Department said he was “skeptical” about the possibility of finding survivors.
The Bello landslide could nearly double the amount of dead from floods and landslides caused by this year’s rainy season. On Sunday, the official number of people killed by the extreme weather conditions was set at 175.
