SANTIAGO – Chilean rescue workers on Tuesday recovered the body of the latest victim of a Dec. 16 mudslide that devastated a small rural village in southern Chile, bringing the total death toll to 16.
Homes in Villa Santa Lucia, a village in the Chilean Lake District, were buried under tons of mud after excessive rainfall.
5 dead, 15 missing as landslide sweeps through Chilean town of Santa Lucia
The number of victims could rise in the next few days as six residents remain unaccounted for.
Ten families have been evacuated, according to Onemi.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by continual rains that threaten further mudslides.
#VillaSantaLucia: 8:20 am se iniciaron labores de búsqueda, decisión tomada en reunión técnica (7:30 am). “Para hoy se prevee llovizna durante la mañana y nubosidad parcial durante la tarde, por lo que los trabajos se prolongarán por todo el día”, informó Seremi Marco Carrillo pic.twitter.com/9LBlrBJfMf
— Intendencia Región de Los Lagos (@intendencialos1) December 26, 2017
Villa Santa Lucia is home to only about 130 residents.
#Alubion en #Chaitén
Los #Carabineros continúa realizando patrullajes aéreos en el sector de #VillaSantaLucia tras #EmergenciaenChaitén pic.twitter.com/jo23wNBUSI— RED CIVIL EMERGENCIA (@RCECHILE) December 16, 2017
The town was unable to vote in Sunday’s presidential runoff won by conservative ex-president Sebastian Pinera.
