Earth and debris loosened by weeks of downpours engulfed homes in the suburb of Bello on Sunday. Sniffer dogs were nosing through the rubble to try to find survivors, and digging equipment was being moved to the scene.
"The initial count is that there may be 150-200 people considered missing. So far we have rescued three alive," said Cesar Uruena, a Red Cross operations deputy director. "We are focused on moving rubble to see if we find survivors. We've never had this many people affected [in Colombia] by the rainy season."
John Rendon, emergency management director of Antioquia state, confirmed that one body has been recovered.
Weeks of drenching rain has damaged road and bridges across the Andes mountains.
The Red Cross has said that at least 176 deaths have been caused by heavy rains in Colombia so far this year, and more than one million people have been left homeless. Some regions have endured more than 12 hours of non-stop deluges.
Major Landslide In Medellin
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