Alud in Bolivia: the victims are 15

According to the Bolivian authorities, there are about twenty wounded. They believe that there could be other victims buried under the mud.

The collapse of mud on a road northwest of the Bolivian city of La Paz has left 15 dead and 20 confirmed wounded, the Bolivian Ministry of Defense reported yesterday.

Saturday, there was a great release of mud, while yesterday, it was recorded, in the middle of the afternoon, a new avalanche that aggravated the situation.

"To date, 15 people have been saved and 20 have been wounded," said the institutional note quoting Defense Minister Javier Zavaleta.

The communication also indicates that it is suspected that there are potential victims and that his rescue will take "a few more days" and that some vehicles remain under the mud, without specifying the exact number.

The first event occurred on Saturday morning, when a large block of earth wetted by recent heavy rains fell off the road and affected several vehicles in the area called Armas Bridge.

The area of ​​the event is a humid and subtropical climate zone, on the road that connects La Paz to the population of Caranavi.

Yesterday, a few minutes after 5 pm, a new collapse occurred on the road connecting Yolosita-Caranavi (Yungas), at the height of the Armas Bridge of Choro. People are said to be buried and injured, according to the report of the General Assembly of the Ministry, Martha Choque, and Mayor Daniel Paucara.

"Once again, the earth has given way, there are people buried, ambulances are needed, there are wounded, there are people who are without life, it arrived at 5:20, there are has people crying on the way, "said the regional representative, very dismayed.

Most of the wounded were evacuated to the city of Coroico, 102 kilometers from La Paz, while others, of a more delicate state, were transferred to hospitals of the Bolivian government headquarters, have reported the Bolivian media.

About 150 soldiers are in the tragedy sector, accompanied by teams of firefighters and police engaged in rescue operations in adverse weather conditions.

Minister Zavaleta said that the rains had affected several municipalities, mainly in the departments of La Paz and the northern region of Beni, such as Guanay, Alto Beni, Coroico Palos Blancos, Reyes, San Borja and part of Trinidad and Riberalta . According to information from the Ministry of Defense, rains will continue in February and March.

Source: El Tribuno

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