A landslide caused by heavy rain has killed five people and injured another in the department of Nariño, southwest Colombia, various media reported Monday.
The tragedy took place early Monday morning in the town of El Tambo where the landslide buried a house.
Nariño governor Antonio Navarro Wolf told Caracol radio that more housing areas and a local school are still at risk from further damage caused by the landslide. He has ordered an evacuation of the local area.
According to El Tiempo newspaper, the coordinator of the Regional Committee for Disaster Prevention claimed the incident has enforced the closure of the road connecting Nariño’s countryside to the capital Pasto, and has also disrupted a number of public services.
The El Tambo landslide is the first incident of its kind to hit the region this winter. The landslide coincided with similar fatal incidents killing at least six in other parts of Colombia over the weekend.
Authorities in large parts of the country are on the highest alert for landslides and floods after last year’s rainy season killed 310 Colombians.