13 killed in Colombia rain

At least thirteen people died this week in Colombia in torrential rain that is rare for this time of year, officials said Sunday.

A cold front rushing in from the north of the Americas to the Caribbean coast of Colombia increased rainfall last month by 64 percent compared to the historical average, the national weather agency Ideam said.

Among the fatalities this week, a landslide in southwest Narino department killed seven people Friday night as a rain-swollen stream overflowed and houses were buried in mud, Narino department authorities said.

They broadcast footage of earth-moving equipment digging away at the muck as rescue teams and sniffer dogs looked for bodies.

The violent weather had already left six dead around the country, the disaster management agency UNGRD said Thursday.

Climate change is wreaking havoc with the dry and wet periods in Colombia, which has a tropical climate and no distinct seasons.

Source: AFP