Severe mudslide leaves more than 300 dead, hundreds missing in Mocoa

The devastating mudslide which struck Colombia last Friday has now killed over 300 people and injured 330, with hundreds still reported missing as of Wednesday.

In the most severely afflicted city of Mocoa, 17 street blocks were destroyed beyond recognition after a flow of mud and rocks flushed in from a river in the northern part of the city.

With no drinking water or electricity, life is critical in some quarters of the city. Several excavators have been working to dig through the debris, as the hunt for those who may be missing under the huge rocks continues. Even in spite of the harsh local conditions, some locals have not yet given up the search for their relatives.

“I know it’s a disaster brought by nature. I have accepted it. My two daughters and granddaughter are missing. I’m searching for them. I hope all of the people will come here and help us search. She (one of my daughters) is 22 years old, a mother to a child named Wendy Xiomara, and she’s also pregnant. I am sure I will find her. And not only me. Others will find their loved ones too,” said Maria, a Mocoa resident.

According to official sources, more than 400 people have been reported missing as of Wednesday, as rescue operations continue across the country.