Bello, Colombia: A powerful landslide struck the northwestern Colombian town of Bello, near Medellín, killing at least 10 people and injuring 15 others, authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The disaster, caused by flooding in a nearby ravine, unleashed a torrent of mud and rocks that buried homes and upended life along the mountainside.
Antioquia department’s governor, Andrés Julián Rendón, confirmed the fatalities and injuries in a post on social media platform X, and issued urgent warnings to residents in high-risk zones to evacuate immediately, as the danger of further landslides remains high.
“Search and rescue operations are ongoing,” Rendón said, adding that more than a dozen people are still missing. Emergency crews are racing against time, combing through mud-covered debris in hopes of finding survivors.
The landslide struck suddenly after torrential rainfall caused a ravine to overflow, sending a deadly wave of earth and rock into hillside communities. Shocking images and videos shared by Colombian media and on social platforms show homes entirely engulfed by mud, vehicles trapped beneath debris, and residents desperately wading through sludge-filled streets.
A particularly haunting photo released by Medellín’s disaster management agency shows a car half-buried in thick mud and a major roadway rendered impassable by the deluge. Families have been seen salvaging belongings from wreckage as emergency responders continue to dig through unstable terrain.
This is not the first time the region has faced such devastation. Just last month, a similar landslide in the Medellín suburb of Sabaneta killed five people. The region of Antioquia, part of the rugged western Andes, is especially vulnerable to landslides during Colombia’s rainy season, when unstable slopes and heavy rainfall create dangerous conditions.
Authorities have deployed additional resources to the disaster zone and are closely monitoring weather patterns. Local shelters have been set up for displaced residents, while rescue teams emphasize that the next 24 hours will be critical in locating missing individuals.
As the search continues, Colombia mourns another tragic reminder of the country’s vulnerability to climate-driven natural disasters.
