Colombia landslide: Farc rebels offer to help rebuild town

Colombia’s Farc rebel group has offered to help rebuild a town devastated by landslides that killed at least 254 people.

But their involvement in efforts in Mocoa, in the country’s south-west, has to be approved by the government.

Meanwhile, the search continues for residents who are still missing.

More than 1,000 soldiers and police are involved in the relief works. Most aid is being sent by helicopter as roads are damaged or blocked.

Aid on the way

President Juan Manuel Santos declared an emergency to speed up aid operations.

He said a new hospital would be built and that sanitation specialists had been sent to the area, in Putumayo province, to prevent outbreaks of disease.

Water treatment plants would also be set up, he added, as there were reports of people looting stores in search of bottled water.

Mr Santos, who returned to the area on Sunday, also said that a temporary plan to address the lack of electricity should be ready in 10 days.

 

Read the whole story from BBC.
Images courtesy of Reuters