Devastating Ecuador Landslide Claims Lives, Leaves Dozens Missing

A landslide in central Ecuador has killed at least six people and left 30 others missing. Heavy rains have led to multiple landslides and flooding across the region, impacting local infrastructure and hampering rescue operations.

A landslide surged over a highway in central Ecuador on Sunday, killing at least six people and leaving 30 others missing, authorities confirmed as heavy rains battered the nation, causing rivers to overflow.

The torrent of mud and debris destroyed three cars, two houses, and a bus in Baños, a resort city renowned for its adventure tourism, according to the city's fire department.

Deputy fire chief Capt. Angel Barriga informed The Associated Press that rescuers were attending to nine injured individuals and had recovered six bodies from the disaster site, while approximately 30 others were believed to be trapped under the mud.

Baños, situated roughly 135 kilometers (84 miles) south of Quito, is popular among tourists for its proximity to the Amazon jungle and Ecuador's volcanic landscapes. It has suffered extensively from the adverse weather conditions plaguing the region.

The entire country has been grappling with torrential rains, which earlier led to a landslide in El Salvador, killing two children. Floodwaters and mudflows have severed major highways and bridges, severing the main road linking Ecuador's highlands to its Amazonian regions.

On Sunday, the Pisque River overflowed, inundating a waterpark north of Quito. Fortunately, there were no immediate casualties reported from that incident.

Emergency personnel reported several landslides obstructing rescue operations as the relentless downpour continued. The mayor of Baños, Miguel Guevara, urged locals to avoid dangerous roads and mentioned that authorities are urgently working to clear the northern coast area in search of additional victims.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)