AP

Rain-fueled landslide sweeps through Venezuela town; 22 dead

Oct 9, 2022, 2:09 AM | Updated: 3:07 pm

Residents walk through the debris left by flooding caused by a river that overflowed after days of ...

Residents walk through the debris left by flooding caused by a river that overflowed after days of intense rain in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

(AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)


              A neighbor, right, comforts a woman crying in front of her damaged home by flooding in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, after days of heavy rains caused the overflow of a river. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Residents walk through the debris left by flooding caused by a river that overflowed after days of intense rain in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              A woman cries as she searches for a missing relative in a flooded area in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. Days of heavy rains caused flash floods and overflowed a river. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Streets are flooded after heavy rains caused a river to overflow in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Local residents clean up homes damaged by floods in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, after days of heavy rain caused flash floods. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Residents cross a bridge damaged by flooding caused by a river that overflowed after days of intense rain in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Residents look at damaged caused by flooding in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Residents embrace in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, after intense rain caused a river to overflow flooding the town. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Karen Salinas holds her cat next to her home damaged by flooding in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Men carry a dog rescued from the mud after flooding caused by intense rains in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Cars are piled up in a workshop after intense rains caused flash flooding and overflowed Las Tejerias river in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Residents sit outside a health center waiting for news from missing relatives after flooding in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. At least two people died after days of heavy rain caused flash flooding and the overflow of a ravine. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              A boy carries sneakers he found amidst the rubble caused by flooding in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. At least two people died after days of heavy rain caused flash flooding and the overflow of a ravine. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
            
              Men drag a live pig they found stuck in mud after flooding caused by intense rains in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

LAS TEJERÍAS, Venezuela (AP) — A landslide fueled by flooding and days of torrential rain swept through a town in central Venezuela, leaving at least 22 people dead as it dragged mud, rocks and trees through neighborhoods, authorities said Sunday. Dozens of people are missing.

Residents of Las Tejerías in Santos Michelena, an agro-industrial town in Aragua state 54 miles (87 kilometers) southwest of Caracas, had just seconds to reach safety late Saturday as debris swept down a mountainside onto them.

The official death toll rose to 22 after the recovery of 20 bodies on Sunday, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez told state-owned Venezolana de Televisión.

“There was a large landslide in the central area of Las Tejerías” where five streams overflowed, she said from the scene of the disaster. “We have already found 22 dead people; there are more than 52 missing.”

“There are still people walled in,” Rodríguez said. “We are trying to rescue them, to rescue them alive.”

She said shelters will be set up for people who lost their homes.

Higher on the mountainside, most of the houses were swept away, including those of a group of Evangelicals who were praying when the landslide hit, said homemaker Carmen Teresa Chirinos, a resident of Las Tejerías. Families in tears hugged in front of destroyed homes and businesses.

“There are a lot of people missing,” Chirinos said.

Hours earlier, Major Gen. Carlos Pérez Ampueda, the vice minister for risk management and civil protection, had said via Twitter that several people were reported missing in the El Béisbol and La Agotada neighborhoods in the north of the town. Dozens of homes were damaged by the landslide.

Rescuers were carrying out search operations with trained dogs and drones, Pérez Ampueda said. Crews of workers and heavy machinery removed debris to clear roads and restore electricity and water services.

“So many families lost their houses and I, as a businessman, lost my pizzeria,” said Luis Fuentes, who opened his pizza restaurant two years ago. “Look, I have nothing.”

Aragua Gov. Karina Carpio said the flood waters “terribly affected” 21 sectors in Las Tejerías, capital of the Santos Michelena municipality, which has some 54,000 inhabitants.

During the past week, torrential rains have caused flooding in 11 of Venezuela’s 23 states.

President Nicolás Maduro said 20.000 officials, including rescuers and members of security forces, have been deployed to affected regions.

___

Associated Press journalists Jorge Rueda contributed to this report from Caracas and Matías Delacroix from Las Tejerías.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Image: A cargo ship is stuck under the part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after ...

Associated Press

Authorities identify 2 bodies recovered at site of Baltimore bridge collapse

A major bridge in Baltimore snapped and collapsed after a container ship rammed into it early Tuesday, and several vehicles fell into the river below.

19 hours ago

Photo: Mountaineer Jim Whittaker has died at 95....

Gene Johnson, The Associated Press

Lou Whittaker, among the most famous American mountaineers, has died at age 95

Lou Whittaker, a legendary American mountaineer who helped lead ascents of Mount Everest, K2 and Denali, has died at age 95.

20 hours ago

File photo: Former Sen. Joe Lieberman speaks in Washington on Jan. 18, 2024....

Associated Press

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP pick in 2000, dead at 82

Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, who nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in 2000, has died.

20 hours ago

islamic state attack...

Vanessa Gera, The Associated Press

What we know after the Islamic State group claims responsibility for Moscow massacre

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133 people.

4 days ago

Moscow shooting...

The Associated Press

Russia: 60 dead, 145 injured in concert hall raid; Islamic State group claims responsibility

Assailants burst into a concert hall in Moscow on Friday and sprayed the crowd with gunfire, killing over 60 people, injuring more than 100.

6 days ago

Photo: Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge visits 282 (East Ham) Squadron, RAF Air Cadets, Cornwel...

Associated Press

Kate Middleton announces she has cancer, is undergoing chemotherapy

Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, says she is undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancer. She has been out of view since Christmas.

6 days ago

Rain-fueled landslide sweeps through Venezuela town; 22 dead