The death toll in a landslide in Colombia rises to 22 with 8 missing
Crews on Saturday were still looking for victims in Medellín, Colombia's second-largest city, and the nearby city of Bello.
The landslide occurred early Tuesday following heavy rains. It unleashed mud and debris on crowded neighborhoods, enveloping dozens of homes and leaving hundreds homeless.
Landslides are common in that region, especially during the rainy season from April to November.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Washington Post
Amazon deforestation surges in Colombia, reversing historic gains
BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia's government reported on Thursday a sharp overall rise in deforestation in the country's Amazon rainforest for last year, reversing much of the progress made during a historic low in 2023 . The national meteorological agency said pasture expansion for cattle, illicit crops, illegal mining, and unregulated infrastructure development were to blame. The data was released just a month after Colombia's environment ministry had noted a drop in the destructive practice in the first quarter of this year, citing stronger community coordination and a crackdown on environmental crime. The overall figures for last year show that the country lost 113,608 hectares (about 280,700 acres) of forest in 2024 — a 43% increase compared to the year before, when deforestation had dropped to its lowest level in over two decades. The data presented by Environment Minister Lena Estrada Añokazi and the IDEAM meteorological agency, show the heaviest losses were concentrated in the Amazon region. 'These figures represent the work and the commitment this government has made to preserve forests and biodiversity,' Estrada said. 'However, all the efforts we have made have not been enough, because deforestation persists.' The worst-affected areas were the regions of Meta, Caqueta, Guaviare and Putumayo — all within the so-called Amazon Arc, a high-deforestation corridor where illegal cattle ranching, land grabbing and road construction are expanding. According to IDEAM, more than 77,000 hectares were cleared in the Amazon alone, accounting for 65% of all forest loss in 2024. Estrada said the rise in deforestation last year was partly driven by wildfires during a drought intensified by climate change . 'The most affected territory is the Amazon, a fragile region where vulnerable populations also live,' said Estrada. Deforestation also rose inside protected national parks, including the regions of Tinigua, La Macarena and Chiribiquete, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. IDEAM Director Ghisliane Echeverry said that despite the uptick in 2024, Colombia still maintains a net reduction in forest loss, compared to the baseline year of 2021. In 2023, Colombia recorded its lowest deforestation level since monitoring began, a drop widely credited to better enforcement, Indigenous partnerships, and demobilization of armed groups in parts of the Amazon. But early warning systems had signaled a rebound in forest clearing during the first half of 2024. Still, despite the spike, deforestation remains lower than 2021 levels, continuing an overall downward trend since 2022. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Associated Press
Amazon deforestation surges in Colombia, reversing historic gains
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia's government reported on Thursday a sharp overall rise in deforestation in the country's Amazon rainforest for last year, reversing much of the progress made during a historic low in 2023. The national meteorological agency said pasture expansion for cattle, illicit crops, illegal mining, and unregulated infrastructure development were to blame. The data was released just a month after Colombia's environment ministry had noted a drop in the destructive practice in the first quarter of this year, citing stronger community coordination and a crackdown on environmental crime. The overall figures for last year show that the country lost 113,608 hectares (about 280,700 acres) of forest in 2024 — a 43% increase compared to the year before, when deforestation had dropped to its lowest level in over two decades. The data presented by Environment Minister Lena Estrada Añokazi and the IDEAM meteorological agency, show the heaviest losses were concentrated in the Amazon region. 'These figures represent the work and the commitment this government has made to preserve forests and biodiversity,' Estrada said. 'However, all the efforts we have made have not been enough, because deforestation persists.' The worst-affected areas were the regions of Meta, Caqueta, Guaviare and Putumayo — all within the so-called Amazon Arc, a high-deforestation corridor where illegal cattle ranching, land grabbing and road construction are expanding. According to IDEAM, more than 77,000 hectares were cleared in the Amazon alone, accounting for 65% of all forest loss in 2024. Estrada said the rise in deforestation last year was partly driven by wildfires during a drought intensified by climate change. 'The most affected territory is the Amazon, a fragile region where vulnerable populations also live,' said Estrada. Deforestation also rose inside protected national parks, including the regions of Tinigua, La Macarena and Chiribiquete, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. IDEAM Director Ghisliane Echeverry said that despite the uptick in 2024, Colombia still maintains a net reduction in forest loss, compared to the baseline year of 2021. In 2023, Colombia recorded its lowest deforestation level since monitoring began, a drop widely credited to better enforcement, Indigenous partnerships, and demobilization of armed groups in parts of the Amazon. But early warning systems had signaled a rebound in forest clearing during the first half of 2024. Still, despite the spike, deforestation remains lower than 2021 levels, continuing an overall downward trend since 2022. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
At least 30 killed and several missing as heavy rains and floods lash northern China
At least 30 people have been killed and several others are missing after heavy rain and flooding in northern China, officials said on Monday. Thousands of people were evacuated as the region, including the capital Beijing, braced for more rainfall overnight. The victims were caught in a landslide in a rural part of Luanping county in Hebei province, which borders the capital, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Eight people are missing. A resident told the state-backed Beijing News that communications were down and he couldn't reach his relatives. Beijing authorities said they would launch a top-level emergency response at 8 pm on Monday, ordering people to stay inside, closing schools, suspending construction work and stopping outdoor tourism and other activities until the response is lifted. The heaviest rain in Beijing was expected after midnight, with rainfall of up to 30 centimetres forecast for some areas. In the district of Miyun, an outlying part of Beijing, floodwaters could be seen sweeping away parked cars at an apartment complex in footage shown by the state broadcaster. Authorities were discharging water from the Miyun reservoir, a main source of water for the city, and warning people to stay away from rivers downstream as their levels rose. Officials told the Beijing Daily they had evacuated 4,015 people to avoid the floods as the reservoir recorded its highest level since record-keeping began in 1951. In the nearby city of Tianjin, some 5,600 people were relocated for fear of flooding, CCTV reported. The central government said in a statement it had sent 50 million yuan (€6 million) to Hebei and dispatched a high-level team of emergency responders to help the affected cities, which include Chengde, Baoding and Zhangjiakou. Beijing and Hebei suffered severe flooding in 2023, which left at least 81 people dead and 34 missing.
