Ecuador increased the death toll to 27 on Saturday due to a gigantic landslide registered a week ago in the Andean zone, where lifeguards continue to search for dozens of missing people.
“27 confirmed deaths after the collapse that occurred in #Alausí. #FiscalíaEc ordered the removal of 2 more corpses, found recently among the rubble,” the accusing entity said through its Twitter account.
About two million cubic meters of earth slid from a mountain to the town of Alausí, 300 km south of Quito and with about 45,000 inhabitants, on March 26.
The landslide affected some 24 hectares in which there were 209 homes, according to the Irrigation Management Secretariat (SGR).
That body specified on Friday that the event left 23 dead (including two people who were taken to hospitals alive), 38 injured and 67 missing, in addition to 850 victims.
The SGR reported on Saturday that “The rescue teams continue, for the sixth consecutive day, with the search for the missing persons”.
In February, the area where the landslide occurred was declared a yellow alert (prior to the orange and red alerts, the latter being highly dangerous) due to the heavy rains that have hit Ecuador since January. In addition, the authorities had warned about the collapse of a nearby road.
Without the balance due to the landslide, Ecuador registers 23 deaths, 46,220 affected and 9,690 homes with damages due to the effects of the downpours as well as floods.
The storm forced the government last week to declare a state of emergency in 13 of the 24 provinces.