A search for survivors has turned tragic in Cundinamarca, colombia, with the recovery of 16-year-old Manuela Villota Escandón after a vehicle was swept away by floodwaters on November 17. The incident, which occurred in Silvania, has prompted a large-scale rescue operation and revealed the devastating impact of recent heavy rainfall on local communities. authorities continue to search for two remaining missing individuals as the sole survivor recovers from the ordeal.
Rescuers in Cundinamarca, Colombia, have recovered the body of a 16-year-old girl who went missing after a sudden surge of water swept a vehicle off a road on November 17. The discovery brings a somber development to the search for survivors following the flash flood.
According to Captain Álvaro Farfán, a departmental delegate with the Cundinamarca Fire Department, the recovered body is believed to be Manuela Villota Escandón. However, authorities are awaiting confirmation from the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) to officially identify the remains.
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The body was found several kilometers from the El Bosque Club, along the river in the Las Granjas area, after a two-day search. Search efforts had focused on this location due to the increased water flow caused by recent rainfall.
The teenager was traveling with four family members when their vehicle was carried away by the sudden flood in the Yayata Las Villas stream, near the Los Altos crossing.
sudden increase in Silvania, Cundinamarca Photo:José Camilo Castiblanco.Citytv
What is known about the search for the Villota Escandón family in Silvania
With this latest development, two other people remain missing. They were also in the vehicle with Segundo Miguel Villota, who was found dead shortly after the incident. A 25-year-old woman is the sole survivor of the tragedy, having been ejected from the vehicle by the force of the water.
Authorities have coordinated efforts to find the victims. Photo:CityTV / Bomberos de Cundinamarca
Units from the National Army, the Ponalsar Group, and the Silvania Fire Department continue to search the area for Ana Lucía Villota Escandón, 45, and Teresa Escandón, 65.
According to a report from the Cundinamarca Fire Department on November 18, search teams had made significant progress and located various parts of the vehicle in different sections of the stream. The ongoing search underscores the dangers posed by flash floods in the region.
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More than 80 personnel from the Cundinamarca Department’s Special Administrative Unit for Risk Management are supporting the rescue operations.
Silvania Mayor’s Office asks for humanitarian aid for those affected
In addition to the family tragedy, several families in the rural areas of Silvania have been affected by the sudden increase in water and the resulting flood caused by heavy rains. The situation highlights the vulnerability of communities to extreme weather events.
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The municipal administration reports that many homes have “lost everything, leaving residents in a vulnerable condition and in immediate need of humanitarian aid.”
The Mayor’s Office has issued a call for solidarity from residents of Silvania, business owners, organizations, and anyone who wishes to contribute to support those affected.
Silvania statement Photo:Social media
María Paula Rodríguez Rozo
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