Photo: LUIS ROBAYO / Getty Images
By: EFE
Thursday, September 19
Deadly avalanche in Ecuador's mountain leaves four dead and one injured
An avalanche in Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador, left at least four climbers dead and one person injured. Local authorities reported that search and rescue efforts continue, so they do not rule out that the number of deaths increases with the passing of hours .
“ At the moment, the presence of four deceased persons and one wound is confirmed “, reported the ECU- and rescue in the area of the event.
In addition, he reported that he has coordinated the assistance of specialized personnel of the Armed Forces to collaborate with the tasks of search.
He indicated that members of the Quito Fire Brigade have mobilized to the place, where has established a Unified Command Post (PMU) between the different entities involved in the rescue.
The source indicated that e group of tourists was affected by adverse weather conditions in the Chimborazo area (6, 268 meters high), the highest mountain in the country , located in the Andean province of the same name, where several snow-capped mountains and massifs of great attraction for climbers and visitors converge.
According to ECU – 911, the group, of about twelve people who climbed Chimborazo this morning and they were about 6, 100 meters of altitude, he was surprised by an avalanche.
Personnel of the Special Operations Group of the Police and the Corps of Firefighters from the area were the first to go to the area to rescue tourists and had the support of guards from the Ministry of the Environment and a helicopter from the police air service.
In parallel, the ECU – 911 reported that members of the GOE of the Police and the fire department are working to rescue another group of 20 tourists who presented symptoms of hypothermia, while mountaineering in the snowy neighbor El Altar, 5, 319 meters high above sea level and located in the same province.
That group, in which no fatalities were reported, was taken to a nearby farm to undergo medical examinations by personnel of the Ministry of Public Health, added the ECU – 911 in its statement.
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