LIMA, March 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Part of a hill collapsed in northern Peru on Tuesday, burying at least 60 homes, the government said, with harrowing images on social media showing whole apartment buildings being covered by the landslide.
While casualties are yet unknown, dozens of people are feared dead after a landslide buried multiple homes. The disaster occurred at around 8.30am local time and was believed to be a result of the heavy rain in the La Libertad region of Peru.
Local news outlets shared the moment of the catastrophe which sees the ground fall from a nearby cliff and residents desperately trying to free people trapped indoors.
Manuel Llempen, regional governor of La Libertad, reported that it is estimated that approximately 60 to 80 houses have been buried with people inside due to a landslide in Pataz.
The Regional Government of La Libertad issued a statement saying: “Faced with the landslide of a hillside in the upper part of the town of Retamas which occurred this morning and buried homes…
“The regional governor and president of the Regional Emergency Platform called an emergency meeting to adopt urgent accidents to help the affected population.”
“The magnitude of the damage is still unknown, but the governor has already contacted the president of the Council of Ministers, Aníbal Torres, to activate the necessary actions.”
Llempen did not explain the cause of the collapse but said it had happened in an area that is home to mining workers and not safe for the construction of homes.
Large parts of the hillside were seen crumbling to the town beneath it with many people feared trapped.
Jose Gavidia from Peru’s ministry of defence tweeted: “Together with a rapid response team we headed to the town of Retamas, district of Parcoy (La Libertad) in an emergency to attend to the emergency caused by a landslide on a hillside.
“We will provide all the necessary help to the affected families.”
Footage shared online showed tonnes of mud and stone falling to the town beneath.
One video appeared to show a group of people breaking a hole into a wall to free the people trapped inside.
Peru has high rates of housing informality, with homes often built on the edges of rivers or on the sides of hills prone to landslides.
Peru’s president Pedro Castillo said the Government would be helping those trapped in the region.
