Colombia: Landslides and Land Mines

Rescue efforts are continuing in the village of Salgar, where residents were deluged with tons of mud and water on Monday, taking the lives of at least 60 people and injuring dozens. The worst natural disaster of its kind in more than a decade prompted President Juan Manuel Santos to declare a national emergency. As many as 48 people are still missing. Also in Colombia, a pilot project to clear land mines and explosive devices is underway in the state of Antioquia. An operation being carried out by the Colombian Army and the FARC guerrillas was agreed upon in the Havana peace talks. The first steps are being taken in the areas with the most victims. Out of 11,000 registered since 1999, as many as 2,500 are in Antioquia. The pilot project consists of six stages, the first of which was the selection of the initial regions, and it is being followed by the Identification of the characteristics of the region. The deactivation and removal will be carried out by a special battalion of the army, accompanied by FARC rebels, who will show the troops where the land mines are located. Natalia Margarita reports from Colombia for teleSUR.