Rescuers digging through a landslide in northern Peru on Wednesday said they had recovered three bodies, including a one-month-old.
A landslide on Tuesday in the town of Retamas, about 500km north of Lima, buried several homes and trapped at least eight people, five of whom are still missing, authorities said.
“We were able to recover the body of a third person, a 62-year-old man,” said Lieutenant Carlos Alberto Valderrama, the village’s chief of police.
Photo: AFP
Hours earlier emergency crews recovered the bodies of the baby girl and an adult male who was likely trying to protect the infant when the landslide buried them both, a police spokesman said.
All three were found under the rubble of a market.
Peruvian Minister of Defense Jose Gavidia said that the eight missing include three children.
Photo: AFP / ALDAIR MEJIA / Peruvian Presidency
On Tuesday, authorities had said there were 15 people missing from the mining village of about 5,000 people.
Gavidia also corrected a claim from Tuesday by La Libertad Governor Manuel Llempen, who said at least 60 homes were buried, lowering that figure to “about seven.”
“I managed to get out in time, [but] my house was buried,” said Ledy Leiva, who escaped with five family members. “The landslide has left us with nothing.”
Rescue efforts went on all night into Wednesday with only a couple hours’ break.
However, the work was suspended late on Wednesday due to heavy rain in the area.
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo arrived at the village early on Wednesday to supervise rescue efforts.
“In Peru we lack a risk map, there are people who dare to put a roof over a river or drill a hole in a hill to make homes,” said Castillo, referring to people with no other option than to build makeshift homes in precarious places.
In 2009, at least 13 people were killed by another landslide in Retamas, which is considered a high-risk area.
Landslides are frequent in the wet summers of the Peruvian Andes.
Tuesday’s landslide is believed to have been caused by heavy rainfall.
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