Authorities in Ecuador have reported that the death toll following a landslide last Sunday in the municipality of Alausí, in the province of Chimborazo, has risen to 17 following the discovery of the lifeless bodies of several victims.
The last balance released by the Secretariat of Risk Management of the country indicates that 37 people have been injured and 72 others are still unaccounted for. The total number of victims has risen to more than 600, while almost 2.5 kilometers of road have been affected.
Rescue services have also reported that 32 people have been rescued alive after a landslide that also caused damage to the energy system and drinking water supply.
The Ecuadorian President, Guillermo Lasso, has stressed the importance of continuing with the rescue work, and has asked all citizens to evacuate the affected areas »to attend this emergency in the best way possible».
The alerts went off on Sunday shortly before 22.00 (local time) after a series of warnings for several incidents registered due to heavy rains in the center of the Latin American country.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
