The landslide was triggered after heavy rainfall struck the region on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. In total, 66 houses were completely destroyed and 88 families were left homeless. Buildings collapse was caught on camera by locals (Click the footage below to watch).
La Paz is located about 3.640 meters above the sea level and is the highest capital city in the world. Due to its hilly terrain, many buildings are constructed in steep slopes that are vulnerable to landsliding.
Emergency crews rushed at the scene to evacuate the area before the total collapse of the structures. Thankfully, no casualties were reported but one person was injured from the incident and 5 more are still missing. Firefighters were summoned to search for the missing persons. Unfortunately, weather conditions will deteriorate in the following days making rescue operations more hazardous.
According to local reports, the residences in the so-called San Jorge Kantutani neighborhood were built illegally on a slope that used to be a landfill in the 1980s. "We know -- like you can see by looking behind me -- that this is the former landfill of Sopocachi. We have a lot of trash in this place. This, coupled with the (rain's) water, led to the extremely rapid landslide," Luis Revilla, the major of the capital, stated.
Α group of structural engineers and geologists is inspecting the area to evaluate the stability of the slope and the remaining buildings.