A landslide of great proportions buried dozens of houses, a stadium and a coliseum in Alausí, province of Chimborazo, during the night of Sunday, March 26.
Twenty-four hours later, relatives of missing persons were still searching for their loved ones and complained to the central government about the slow progress of rescue efforts.
As of April 7, 32 people were reported rescued alive, 30 bodies of deceased persons and 58 missing.
Military, civilian, firefighters and police rescue groups are still working on the removal of debris, during the first 24 hours of the disaster, pets were found still alive.
The inhabitants of Alausi are still in shock trying to understand what happened and extremely worried about their future in a community that lives mostly from the countryside and tourism.
Panoramic view of Alausí, a town in the central Ecuadorian highlands. On the left is the massive landslide that buried dozens of houses, a stadium and a coliseum in Alausí, Chimborazo province, during the night of Sunday, March 26.
An indigenous woman observes from a bridge the landslide that swept away entire neighborhoods in Alausi. March 27, 2023.
With the first light of day, 8 hours after the landslide, the magnitude of the damage caused begins to be noticed. March 27, 2023.
Three days after the disaster, search and rescue teams approach the area known as "ground zero" with trained search dogs. March 29, 2023.
One of the few buildings that remained standing after the landslide can be seen in the area below the landslide. March 28, 2023.
Military personnel and firemen rescued alive a small dog that was under debris for almost 16 hours. March 27, 2023.
A female firefighter holds and tries to calm a dog rescued after 16 hours under rubble. March 27, 2023.
Aerial view of the landslide area. March 27, 2023.
A man descends some stairs left standing after the landslide. March 28, 2023.
Groups of volunteers collect and organize food kits for people affected by the mudslide. March 28, 2023.
A family cleans the shelter area where they had to stay after losing their home. March 28, 2023.
Detail of a dog's paw full of mud, this pet is looking for his family who disappeared in the mudslide. March 29, 2023.
Young people remain in shock in the area of the landslide, they have not slept as they searched all night for their friends and relatives. March 27, 2023.
Group of community members forcibly enter the landslide zone to continue searching for their neighbors and relatives, official rescue groups do not enter until they know that the zone is safe. March 29, 2023.
Jacob, a dog who has not stopped returning to the landslide area in search of his family who is still missing. March 29, 2023.
Detail of objects found in the debris. March 27, 2023.
Rescue workers ask for silence so that sniffer dogs can do their job. March 27, 2023.
General view of the landslide zone, hundreds of community members and rescue workers from all over the country search for the dozens of missing people. March 28, 2023.
With fear the inhabitants of Alausí observe from a distant viewpoint the magnitude of the landslide. March 27, 2023.
Detail of objects found in the debris. March 27, 2023.
A rescuer takes a break from his search work. March 27, 2023.
Groups of volunteers collect and organize food kits for people affected by the mudslide. March 28, 2023.
A shelter is prepared for the arrival of people affected by the landslide in the center of Alausi. March 27, 2023.
Military members help to evacuate homes located in a risk zone. March 28, 2023.
Debris from big houses that were destroyed after the landslide. March 27, 2023.
Detail of rescue workers and community members searching for missing persons. March 27, 2023.
Conventillo community, one hour from Alausi, where a wake was held for 4 members of the same family who died in the landslide. March 28, 2023.
Four members of the same family: father, mother and their children, are mourned after having died in the landslide. March 28, 2023.
Panoramic view of Alausí, a town in the central Ecuadorian highlands. On the left is the massive landslide that buried dozens of houses, a stadium and a coliseum in Alausí, Chimborazo province, during the night of Sunday, March 26.
An indigenous woman observes from a bridge the landslide that swept away entire neighborhoods in Alausi. March 27, 2023.
With the first light of day, 8 hours after the landslide, the magnitude of the damage caused begins to be noticed. March 27, 2023.
Three days after the disaster, search and rescue teams approach the area known as "ground zero" with trained search dogs. March 29, 2023.
One of the few buildings that remained standing after the landslide can be seen in the area below the landslide. March 28, 2023.
Military personnel and firemen rescued alive a small dog that was under debris for almost 16 hours. March 27, 2023.
A female firefighter holds and tries to calm a dog rescued after 16 hours under rubble. March 27, 2023.
Aerial view of the landslide area. March 27, 2023.
A man descends some stairs left standing after the landslide. March 28, 2023.
Groups of volunteers collect and organize food kits for people affected by the mudslide. March 28, 2023.
A family cleans the shelter area where they had to stay after losing their home. March 28, 2023.
Detail of a dog's paw full of mud, this pet is looking for his family who disappeared in the mudslide. March 29, 2023.
Young people remain in shock in the area of the landslide, they have not slept as they searched all night for their friends and relatives. March 27, 2023.
Group of community members forcibly enter the landslide zone to continue searching for their neighbors and relatives, official rescue groups do not enter until they know that the zone is safe. March 29, 2023.
Jacob, a dog who has not stopped returning to the landslide area in search of his family who is still missing. March 29, 2023.
Detail of objects found in the debris. March 27, 2023.
Rescue workers ask for silence so that sniffer dogs can do their job. March 27, 2023.
General view of the landslide zone, hundreds of community members and rescue workers from all over the country search for the dozens of missing people. March 28, 2023.
With fear the inhabitants of Alausí observe from a distant viewpoint the magnitude of the landslide. March 27, 2023.
Detail of objects found in the debris. March 27, 2023.
A rescuer takes a break from his search work. March 27, 2023.
Groups of volunteers collect and organize food kits for people affected by the mudslide. March 28, 2023.
A shelter is prepared for the arrival of people affected by the landslide in the center of Alausi. March 27, 2023.
Military members help to evacuate homes located in a risk zone. March 28, 2023.
Debris from big houses that were destroyed after the landslide. March 27, 2023.
Detail of rescue workers and community members searching for missing persons. March 27, 2023.
Conventillo community, one hour from Alausi, where a wake was held for 4 members of the same family who died in the landslide. March 28, 2023.
Four members of the same family: father, mother and their children, are mourned after having died in the landslide. March 28, 2023.
Karen Toro
Artist, photographer, and educator based in Ecuador.