This is the Virgen de los Altos Hills. He had a statue of more than 50years of history on the hill of the same name. The whole provincepilgrimage every February 11, the day to pray.

But yesterday, after four days of heavy rains, a landslide destroyed.Disappeared, and not just Peña (locality where it was located)mourned his loss, if not the entire province.

Here, I leave the reaction of the local media. Earlier, a picture of what it was that statue.

You can see that three hours before the fall of the statue, the media and the reporting was going to happen soon. He knew it was goingto fall, was known to lose ... but were not sure when.

Here we translate what the news channel said "Ostend News":"URGENT. Strong rain and landslides. DANGER OFCOLLAPSE."

The next day, when the tragedy happened, this is the coverage that gave the most important newspaper in the region: "The Morning ofOstend."

►Title: "Peña lost his virgin in an avalanche."

►Subtitle: "The heavy rains weakened the hill on which rested the iconic sculpture. His downfall occurred just after 18:30. Wailing of the entire population of the province of Ostend."

►Title photo: "DIFFERENT VIEW. Our Lady of the Hills High was visible from the provincial capital."

►Full story.

►Section: "Great Ostende". All the news in the metropolitan area of ​​the city of Ostend.

HEAVY RAINS IN THE REGION

Peña regrets the loss of the Virgin in yesterday's runoff

The statue was disbanded and the remains scattered in a radius of 5 square kilometers. The floods are already causing ten deaths and more than 5 000 evacuees.

10HS It was a day of dark clouds. The first landslide in the mountainous area of ​​Peña and cared for the people of this town west of the city of Ostend. The day remained gray and the rain did not stop for five hours: 140 millimeters of rain was the mark as the Weather Service.

At 15hs, the city was in despair when the news began to run through the media: the statue of the Virgen de los Altos Hills was at risk, the mountain was weakening, and the historic sculpture could sell in a matter of moments. Practically there was nothing to do, according to firefighters.

THE FALL. When the clock struck 18:32 HS, accurate, a roar shook the valley of Rock. Within seconds the hill began to subside, the earth began to move northward and the statue and looked on the verge of an abyss minutes ago did not exist.

It did not take more than a minute, that the Virgin began to sway.People looked astonished as at any time more than 50 years of history fall down the slope. Many people were moved to tears, and other hit a scream as the Virgen de los Altos Hills fell, broke into several pieces and disappeared into the woods. The population of the province mourns the loss.

FOUR DAYS. The rains in the province of Ostend not stop for four days. The heavy river floods and streams, high winds and traffic accidents due to wet roads and follies already caused at least 15 deaths in the last 72 hours. Eight of the victims died when the minibus they were traveling in was swept away Santa Victoria River, near the falls.

Greetings from