Colombian president announces relief, new housing for landslide victims

SALGAR, Colombia, May 19 (UPI) -- The death toll for a landslide in Salgar, Colombia, has risen to at least 61 people as the government announced it will provide assistance, including new housing.

The landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall in northwest Colombia, causing the Liboriana river to overflow early Monday. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said officials do not know how many people are still missing.

Santos announced the government has ordered the immediate delivery of 500 food kits and other kinds of aid, such as water.

"Unfortunately, this avalanche took the aqueduct connections and the city is out of water," Santos said. "There are already tankers that are functioning, more are coming... Priority No. 1: water to the hospital. That is clear. Water is already on the way and even some tankers have arrived."

Santos also announced that the government will provide new, improved housing to all victims.

"I want to tell everyone who has been affected in their homes: We are going to rebuild your homes, we are going to provide housing to make them even better than they were before the disaster," Santos said. "That has been part of my way to go about when we are faced with disasters of this nature: Try to make the disaster an opportunity to succeed, so that more people can be better than before."

The Colombian Red Cross criticized the government because aid did not arrive quickly enough, stating the "the National Government has the capacity" to do so.

A state of emergency was declared after Santos visited the disaster area. Much of the village of Santa Margarita was swept away by the landslide.

About 100 people have been evacuated and about 160 soldiers are working in the rescue and emergency efforts.

More rain is expected in the coming days.