73 killed in Guatemala landslide; hundreds may be missing

At least 73 people are dead and many more are missing after a massive landslide covered much of a town in Guatemala, according to the nation’s Public Ministry.

The rain-soaked side of a hill crashed down onto El Cambray, burying dozens of homes, said Alejandro Maldonado, National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction.

Dozens of rescue workers and volunteers searched all day Friday in the mud and debris for survivors and victims.

“The figure we are using as potentially missing – and I want to emphasize that this is an estimate – is of 600 people missing,” Maldonado said. Many people in El Cambray did not heed a warning to evacuate, he said.

El Cambray is located about 10 miles east of Guatemala City.

Search efforts continue for victims of a deadly landslide in Santa Catarina Pinula, Guatemala, on Monday, October 5. A massive landslide buried much of the El Cambray community near Guatemala City on Thursday, October 1. More than 160 people are dead, and authorities say hundreds remain missing.

People in Santa Catarina Pinula surround the coffins of four landslide victims on Sunday, October 4.

Rescue workers help a woman after she identified two family members at the site of the landslide on Saturday, October 3.

Relatives attend the burial of landslide victim Pamela Perez, 17, at a cemetery in Santa Catarina Pinula on October 3.

Neighbors comfort each other as rescue workers continue the search for townspeople on October 3.

Welsar Nazario carries the coffin of his 5-month-old nephew Alezandro Macario, who died in a mudslide, to the Santa Catarina Pinula cemetery on the outskirts of Guatemala City on October 3.

A doll and clothing lie in the mud as rescue workers continue to search the site of a mudslide on October 3.

The scene of the mudslide in El Cambray, Guatemala on Friday, October 2.

Rescue workers work late into the night on October 2.

Municipal firefighters rest during rescue operations on October 2.

Rony Pu is rescued on October 2.

Army soldiers and rescuers search for victims on October 2.

A rescuer carries the body of a child recovered from the mud and debris on October 2.

A woman stands in the midst of the debris on October 2.

Rescuers carry a landslide victim on October 2.

Rescue workers fan out around El Cambray village to search for survivors on October 2.

Municipal firefighters recover a body from under the debris on October 2.

Bodies recovered from the debris are seen at a provisional morgue in Santa Catarina Pinula municipality on October 2.

Volunteers carry aid for people affected by floods and landslides in Santa Catarina Pinula municipality on October 2.

Landslide in Guatemala

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