Landslide in La Libertad: Two dead in the Retamas annex

At least two people lost their lives after the landslide that left dozens of houses buried in the Retamas annex, Pataz province, in the La Libertad region, last Tuesday morning.

According to Canal N, these are the bodies of a man and a one-month-old baby. “A boy and a one-month-old girl. Apparently it’s his dad”commented a rescuer.

[EN VIVO] Police: They recover the body of an adult and a one-year-old girl. It seems that they were father and daughter. Keep informed on https://t.co/WAgcNzGC9I #CanalN. minute by minute. pic.twitter.com/iJebD7YX4k

— Channel N (@canalN_) March 16, 2022

For its part, RPP Noticias mentioned that there are also two people who remain buried in the rubble of a three-story municipal market in Retamas. The rescuers would have paralyzed the rescue because a new landslide occurred in the area, which has made their work difficult.

According to the Regional Government of La Libertad, the magnitude of the damage after the emergency is still unknown. For his part, the Minister of Defense, José Luis Gavidia, and the head of Indeci went to the area to support the families affected by the landslide by order of President Pedro Castillo.

NEIGHBORS RECORDED SLIDE

Residents of the area recorded with their cell phones the precise moment in which this phenomenon occurred, which occurred as a result of the intense rains that are recorded in the high Andean areas of the La Libertad region.

“No!, God!, everything was covered”, the person recording is heard speaking from the front and several meters from the disaster. In another video, the desperate screams of people are heard. “Oh god, escape, save yourselves”!, shouts an anguished woman as she watches helplessly from the front as the earth and stones slide and bury numerous houses.

Critical point. The town of Retamas was affected by a landslide that buried dozens of houses. (Infographic: GEC)

AREA WAS CLASSIFIED AS HIGH RISK

Miguel Yamazaki, Director of Preparation of the National Institute of Civil Defense (Indeci), reported that it is the second time that a landslide has occurred in the town of Retamas. He recalled that this area was already considered high risk, so it was recommended not to build. He pointed out that in 2009 this type of landslide on a hillside left nine people dead and at least 25 affected.

It was in statements to Canal N, that the Indeci official explained that three years ago the Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute (Ingemmet) made recommendations after the natural disaster reported in Retamas.

“Ingemmet determined this area of Retamas as a very high risk area with permanent and active landslides. And that place has been reoccupied. And in the recommendations of that time it had been recommended to relocate the houses accentuated on the slopes of those hills, leave the channel of that ravine free, carry out periodic cleaning and not allow urban expansion, however, 13 years have passed and we have to regret this mess” Yamasaki pointed out.