Massive Landslide Kills Multiple People in La Libertad, Peru: Several Others Missing

Peru experienced a massive landslide incident last week when torrential rain triggered the collapse of a mountain hill in the La Libertad region, leaving multiple people dead and several others missing.

Dozens of houses were also buried by the landslip.

Landslide due to Heavy Rain

Heavy rain triggered a landslide at a hillside in the remote town of Retamas in the Parcoy District of Pataz province on Tuesday, March 15.

The rockfall buried homes, which led to many residents being trapped under the rubbles, prompting a major rescue operation in the area.

Mayor Luis Velezmoro told Peru's state television that neighbors in the town also attempted to help the trapped residents by breaking down the walls of some houses.

Meanwhile, President Pedro Castillo also expressed that the Peruvian government will help the affected families, as cited by The Washington Post.

The rainfall triggered the collapse of a part of the hill in the northern Peruvian town.

La Libertad Governor Manuel Llempen stated between 60 and 80 homes, including apartment buildings, were affected by the landslip, as cited by Reuters.

Llempen also confirmed there were many trapped people in the area.

The governor did not provide an explanation of the landslide's cause in the area, which is also a home for mining workers and an inconducive site for the construction of houses.

Members of the rescue squad arrived to search for people who were buried under their houses and mountain rocks.

Initial reports said following the rockfall that there were no confirmed deaths.

However, local authorities on Thursday, March 17, announced that the incident killed at least four people and several other people are still missing, according to CGTN news.

Mountainside Homes

The collapsed portion of the hill in the Pataz province of the La Libertad Peruvian region is part of the wider geography of the Peruvian Andes Mountain range; which also borders the countries of Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

Mudslides are common in the Andes Mountain due to various human-related activities, such as mining and deforestation.

In addition, natural phenomena like torrential rain, severe weather, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions also cause frequent landslips in the Andes.

Due to these risks, local authorities have acknowledged that erecting houses on a mountainside is dangerous.

This is evident as a landslide consisting of falling rocks, soil, and other geological material in an approximate 45-degree angle will directly hit houses along its path.

Mountainside homes, which are often characterized as a form of housing informality, is prevalent in Peru.

Some of these homes are built along river banks and hillsides that are prone to landslides, as per Reuters.

Common Causes of Landslides

According to the National Geographic, the three most common causes of landslides are geology, human activity, and morphology.

Geology pertains to the strength or hardness of a rock. On the other hand, morphology refers to the physical structure of the land, including its inclusion of plants, trees, and other vegetation.

Lastly, human activity such as construction, irrigation, deforestation, excavation, and agricultural operations can also weaken the geology and alter the morphology of a land-causing a high risk of mudslide occurrences.