Hundreds Feared Dead as Colombia Quake Toll Rises

Between 250 and 350 people have died in an earthquake and avalanche that devastated a remote Colombian river valley, a relief official said Wednesday.

Many more are missing and feared dead, according to Juan Manuel Uribe of the National Disaster Prevention Office.

The disaster happened Monday, when a strong earthquake shook the Paez River valley, about 180 miles southwest of Bogota, launching a tidal wave of mud that swept away settlements, animals and people.

Since the avalanche cut roads, rescue workers reached many of the affected areas only Wednesday. Officials said that the situation was much worse than first believed.

“It is really striking, you could never imagine how an avalanche of this size could happen in a few hours,” President Cesar Gaviria told reporters after a brief helicopter visit to the area.

“Last night, we spent the worst night of our life, everything moved every three minutes, the mountain range groaned, the children were screaming, we were terrified,” survivor Martin Emilio Isaza said.

The disaster was Colombia’s worst natural calamity since September, 1987, when a landslide buried part of the Medellin slum of Villa Tina, killing about 600 people.