At least 16 people died and a similar number were injured by Sunday’s massive avalanche in the town of Alausí, in Ecuador’s Andean region, which buried more than 30 homes, the country’s Risk Management Secretariat confirmed.

A statement said that half a thousand people were affected by the avalanche and that, so far, seven are missing. In these hours there is a desperate search for rescuers.

According to the Secretariat, 163 homes were affected and they are still evaluating how many will be destroyed after the avalanche that occurred on the night of this Sunday. At least 30 were buried by the loose earth.

“Apparently there are thirty or forty houses that could be completely blocked by this avalanche,” anticipated the governor of the province of Chimborazo, Iván Vinueza.