Dozens Killed As Homes Were Swept Away In The Venezuela Landslides

Torrential rainfall caused the river El Pato to burst its banks. The resulting floodwaters swept away, trees, cars, houses and shops in the town, some 50km south-west of the capital, Caracas.

On the walls of the houses, thick mud showed how high the floodwaters had risen.

The town’s energy supply has been cut off, leaving it in the dark, reports Efe news agency.

To look for survivors, locals dug by hand through the thick mud. Sniffer dogs and specialized search squads joined them.

According to Interior Minister Remigio Ceballos, Hurricane Julia, which passed to the north of Venezuela, was to blame for the landslides.

As much rain fell on one day as is often seen in a month, according to a record, he said.

One man told AFP that he had spent the last 40 minutes hanging onto an antenna while his home and others were being swept away. The 65-year-old stated, “The river caught me and I had no choice but to climb a roof and hold onto an antenna.

Having spent her entire life in the community, Carmen Meléndez said: “The community is lost. Losing Las Tejeras.”