El Salvador: At Least Eight Dead in a Landslide

At least eight people have died in a landslide on Tuesday following heavy rains in the city of Nejapa, El Salvador, as authorities estimate that 35 people remain missing, buried under the mud.

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The Minister of Government Mario Durán declared a red alert in the area, and the first damage assessment shows that the landslide, which had a scope of 3km, affected more than 130 houses and over 100 families.

The landslide occurred on Tuesday night at 23hr00 local time after heavy rains in the municipality reached 135.6mm. Los Angelitos, in Nejapa, is the hardest-hit community as the landslide ran over 4 kilometers.

The authorities reported that nine bodies had been found thus far, including three women and two children, although search and rescue works continue. Over 350 security personnel was allocated to the area to carry out the works.

The specialists explained that the landslide was caused by a flow of debris that runs through the drainage network of a nearby area called Cerro El Picacho.