The death toll of the Ecuador landslide climbs to 22

The death toll of the Ecuador landslide climbs to 22, with dozens of people injured. 

QUITO: The number of deaths resulting from the landslide in Ecuador’s capital city Quito was up on Tuesday to 22 people. 

Forty-seven have been confirmed injured, Mayor Santiago Guarderas said, as firefighters continue to search for the streets and homes covered with mud.

Rainstorms that fell over the weekend resulted in a swell of water inside a river in the working-class neighborhoods called La Gasca and La Comuna that threw mud and boulders down on homes and disrupted the supply of electricity.

“As of today, 22 dead have been admitted to the morgue. 47 were injured, and two are critically ill,” Guarderas told reporters.

MORE: Haiti flooding has left three dead and one missing: Officials.

“There is a report of missing 20 people,” he said.

The latest figures are more than those reported on Monday, where nine people were reported missing while 32 were injured.

“We witnessed this massive dark river running across everything. We were forced to climb into the walls to flee,” said resident Alba Cotacachi who rescued her two daughters who were just born from their house. “We are searching for the missing.”

The videos on Social Media showed a river of mud that was rushing through the streets of neighborhoods and carrying garbage bins, cars, trees, and even electric poles when residents demanded help.

Some images showed some of the victims being saved from their current situation by their neighbors.

Authorities haven’t ruled off the possibility of a repeat of landslides. The city’s mayor’s office has established shelters for families affected by the landslide and is preparing to clear streets throughout the city.

Ecuador is facing severe rains across various areas that have led to rivers overflowing and causing damage to hundreds of roads and homes.

The rains that fell on the streets of Quito on Monday ranged from 75 milliliters per square meter, the highest level in almost two decades.