 A part of Vargas state after the 1999 mudslides | |
| Date | 5–21 December 1999 |
|---|---|
| Location | Vargas State, Venezuela |
| Coordinates | 10°36′18.67″N 66°50′58.21″W / 10.6051861°N 66.8495028°W |
| Deaths | 10,000–30,000[1] |
.svg) Location of Vargas in Venezuela | |
The Vargas tragedy was a natural disaster that occurred in Vargas State, Venezuela on 15 December 1999 (over the course of 10 days), when torrential rains caused flash floods and debris flows that killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed thousands of homes, and led to the complete collapse of the state's infrastructure. According to relief workers, the neighborhood of Los Corales was buried under 3 metres (9.8 ft) of mud and a high percentage of homes were simply swept into the ocean. Entire towns including Cerro Grande and Carmen de Uria completely disappeared. As much as 10% of the population of Vargas died during the event.[2]
- ^ Rory, Carroll (2014). Comandante: Hugo Chavez's Venezuela. Penguin Books: New York. pp. 44–46. ISBN 978-0143124887.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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