Landslide in Retamas: They find two more bodies and the number of deceased rose to 6

Rescue brigades located and recovered two more bodies this Friday afternoon in the collapse of a hill that occurred in the town of Retamas, province of Pataz, La Libertad. The remains found belong to Margarita Zenaida Polo Vigo (32) and a 14-year-old teenager.

According to the Andina agency, the head of Rescue Operations and Works Manager of the Parcoy commune, Gino Quesada, the teenager’s body was recovered at noon. Later, Zenaida’s body was recovered.

With this finding, the number of deceased left by the tragedy that occurred last Tuesday, March 15, rises to six: Margarita Zenaida Polo Vigo (32), Edith Quiñonez Torres (32), Santiago Indalecio Vásquez (62), Rolando Robles Ramírez (32), the youngest 14 years old and a baby just one month old.

The aforementioned news agency specified that a seventh body, which belongs to a child, has already been located although it is still buried and is expected to be recovered in the next few hours. Also, it is expected the location of an eighth person.

Rescue work continues three days after the tragedy. (Photo: Andean)

Declaration of emergency in Retamas

The Government declared a state of emergency for 60 days in the town of Retamas, in the province of Pataz (La Libertad), after a landslide from a hill that has left people missing and several houses buried. The measure was made official through a supreme decree.

What happened in Retamas?

More than 30 families were evacuated by the authorities to temporary shelters since Tuesday the 15th, when a landslide was registered, as a result of the intense rains, which buried several houses in the town of Retamas, district of Parcoy, province of Pataz, in La Libertad region. The collapse leaves, so far, four dead.

Some 26 families were taken Wednesday night to the Retamas sports slab, while the others are installed in the local Ricardo Palma educational institution. The District Municipality of Parcoy, in collaboration with the Regional Government of La Libertad, has provided them with tents, mattresses and blankets to protect them from the rain and cold.