At least seven people lost their lives in a landslide in Ecuador. A district was almost completely destroyed. The search for missing persons continues.

A landslide hit a part of the small town of Alausí in Ecuador on Monday night. At least seven people died in the accident, and 23 other people were injured.

The number of victims may increase as more than 50 people are suspected to be still in the rubble. Emergency services are using rescue dogs and drones to search for others missing. Eleven buildings were completely covered in debris and mud in the landslide. Numerous houses were damaged.

Heavy rains triggered the landslide, the downpours have been causing problems in the region for weeks. At the beginning of the month, a state of emergency was declared in many parts of Ecuador due to the storms.

Alausí is located at an altitude of around 7,500 feet in the Andean province of Chimborazo, named after the volcano, which is the highest peak in Ecuador. Almost ten days ago a strong earthquake shook the southern portion of the country and left at least 15 people. The province of El Oro on the Pacific coast was particularly hard hit.