Tragedy has struck Colombia as a landslide hit a bus full of passengers, burying it in mud and rocks as it tumbled down the hillside. The death toll has now reached 34, with many of the survivors injured.

The BBC reported that the incident happened in the western Colombian province of Risaralda during the early hours of Sunday morning, The bus was caught up and hurtled down the hillside when the landslide struck, with many of the casualties being buried alive.

Witnesses stated that an intercity bus, a jeep, and a motorbike were all stopped and waiting on a cliffside road because of a car accident further ahead. However, a landslide happened on the hillside above them, with the vehicles being caught up.

Eight Children Confirmed Dead in Colombia Landslide

According to the Associated Press, the bus reportedly had 33 passengers. After the landslide hit, the vehicle was reportedly buried under two meters of mud and earth Meanwhile, the car had six passengers and the motorbike reportedly had a driver and a passenger riding in tandem.

Over 70 search-and-rescue workers were deployed to the scene, with backhoes and other equipment in tow as they try to reach the victims and hopefully find survivors. After 24 hours of search and rescue operations, they ended their search on Monday.

Rescuers then confirmed that 34 people have been killed, eight of whom were children. This is a larger death toll than what was previously reported, which is around 27 dead, three of whom were children.

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There were several survivors, however, as stories came out from the accident. One passenger managed to help his wife and two children escape the bus before the landslide struck. However, it was too late for him as he was eventually caught up in it along with the bus.

There were at least nine survivors, including one girl who was reportedly clinging to the body of her dead mother.

The bus was reportedly traveling from Colombia's third-largest city, Cali, to the municipality of Condoto. The bus driver reportedly managed to dodge the worst of the landslide, but was still caught up by the rest of the landslide, bringing the vehicle to crash down the hillside along with the mud and debris.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro Expresses Solidarity With Victims

Following the incident, Colombian President Gustavo Petro took to social media to announce the death toll, which was still around 27 at that time. He also confirmed that the landslide happened in Pueblo Rico in Risaralda.

In another post, President Petro expressed his "solidarity with the families of the victims," before promising that they will receive "comprehensive support from the national government."

Currently, Colombia, as well as other South American countries, are experiencing the effects of La Nina which has brought about extreme climate conditions, according to Al Jazeera. Since August 2021, an estimated 271 people have died in La Nina-related incidents, with 348 others injured.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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