By ,
Published December 08, 2016
A landslide following weeks of drenching rains buried more than 50 homes in northwestern Colombia, trapping 147 beneath mud and rubble, and killing at least 12 authorities said Monday.
Antioquia state emergency management director John Rendón said twelve bodies have been recovered, including two children, and six injured people have been rescued after the mudslide in the Medellín suburb of Bello.
Rendón said trained dogs were attempting to locate people beneath tons of sodden earth. There are over 300 rescuers on scene. Authorities are also trying to get heavy equipment to the scene.
Landslides are common in Colombia's rugged Andes mountains, and rains have been especially heavy this year. The Red Cross attributes at least 176 deaths this year to the heavy rains.
President Juan Manuel Santos, who toured regions hard-hit by flooding on Sunday, said government was considering declaring a state of emergency in order to levy extraordinary funding to assist flood victims.
The Red Cross says 1,821 homes have been destroyed and another 256,083 damaged.
Based on reporting by the Associated Press.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/landslide-buries-at-least-147-in-colombia