Search and rescue in Lobatera municipality,
© VGRPCSearch and rescue in Lobatera municipality, Táchira, Venezuela, September 2022.
At least 7 people lost their lives and 3 are still missing after raging floods took a group of tourists by surprise in Táchira State, Venezuela.

Táchira Civil Defence said teams carried out intense search and rescue operations for 27 members of a tourist group who were reported missing following sudden flash flooding along the La Molina creek in the Potrero de Las Casas sector of the Lobatera municipality, Táchira State on 23 September 2022.

By 24 September several members of the group had been rescued or found safe. Ten people remained missing however and search and rescue operations continued.


As of 25 September Freddy Bernal, Governor of Táchira, reported the bodies of at least 7 people had been found and the search for 3 missing continues.

Earlier Venezuela's Civil Protection agency had warned of severe weather including heavy rainfall brought by Tropical Wave No. 39 would likely impact wide areas of the country from 22 September.

Local media reported damaging floods in after heavy rain early on 22 September in the state of La Guaira (formerly named Vargas). At least 2 vehicles were completely destroyed.