20 people feared buried by landslide in northeastern Colombia

At least 20 people were believed to have been buried by a landslide that took place on a highway in the northeastern department of Santander in Colombia, local authorities said on Thursday.

A local police source told Xinhua on the phone that multiple landslides had occurred over the past week on the road connecting Rio Negro and El Playon, burying some houses along the road.

On Wednesday night, a major landslide destroyed some houses in La Ceiba area, where an illegal urban settlement is located, and more than 20 residents there were reported missing.

So far only the bodies of two women were found by rescuers from the local emergency agencies, and the search is still underway.

Speaking on the local Caracol Radio, Alex Perez, a pastor of the neighborhood, said that authorities had warned residents in the area against the landslides and evacuated most of them, but some people still chose to stay.

"They have been put on the list of the missing following the latest landslide," said the pastor.

Another local church staffer said that it would be hard to tell the exact number, but at least 21 people had stayed in the area, which was some 8 to 10 kilometers from the highway.

With Colombia entering its rainy season, landslide reports are on the rise in many parts of the country.

Source: Xinhua