In Alausi, Ecuador, where a landslide buried homes and a stadium and left dozens of people unaccounted for, the official death toll rose to 11. Relatives and rescue groups were still searching for dozens of others who were still missing.
Relatives in the Andean area of Chimborazo dug with shovels where they believe their loved ones were when the landslide hit following heavy rains on Sunday night.
The Ecuadorian disaster agency said on Tuesday that 32 people had been rescued and 67 people were still missing.
Sandra Caranqui, 32, cried on Tuesday, “We have been looking for help since Monday. We cannot leave our family here on the ground.”
The avalanche was reported to have destroyed 163 buildings and 500 persons. She is searching for her father and four siblings.
Caranqui said, “We have lost all hope that they are still alive.” Two days had passed during their confinement.
Skilled rescuers used excavation equipment throughout the night. Guayaquil Fire Chief Jorge Montanero told media that rescue efforts would continue.
Despite increased exhaustion, “we will endure till we have even a teaspoon of hope and trust,” he said.
President Guillermo Lasso arrived in the area on Monday evening to continue the hunt for the missing.
Due to the potential of more landslides, authorities have ordered the evacuation of around 600 homes and established three shelters to accommodate the affected.
In February, Ecuador’s disaster service issued a landslide warning for a 247-hectare (610-acre) tract near Alausi. A large portion of the area affected by the landslide on Sunday was a portion of this tract.
The heavy deluge completely destroyed roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. Owing to the weather and the earthquake on March 18, Lasso announced a state of emergency in fourteen areas last week.
