This is the terrifying moment a huge landslide sent pedestrians racing for safety near an iconic landmark in Colombia – leaving 17 people injured, including two minors.
Dramatic surveillance footage showed tourists walking near the El Peñón de Guatapé (The Rock of Guatapé) on Thursday afternoon when an avalanche of rocks suddenly came crashing to the ground.
Six people could be seen walking past when rocks started to rain over the pathway.
A woman began to run and stopped in front of a guardrail as the powdery debris fell over the area. She remained there for about five seconds before she fled.
A visitor (right) look towards the top of Colombia’s El Peñón landmark moments before an avalanche of rocks rained down over pedestrians along the walkway on Wednesday. At least 17 people, including two children were injured
The National Police said that the El Peñón de Guatapé will remained closed while a study is completed to determine if the site is safe
The El Peñón de Guatapé, said to be 65 million years old, receives an average of 1,000 visitors on weekdays and 3,500 on weekends
The area was cordoned off immediately as several minor landslides followed throughout the day and remained closed as of Friday.
The National Police said an inspection of the landmark had been scheduled to determine if it would pose any risks for visitors.
Antioquia Governor Aníbal Gaviria said five people were rushed to a hospital in Guatapé and four others received treatment at an El Peñón care center.
The El Peñón de Guatapé, believed to be 65 million years old, is located in the Antioquia town of Guatapé, 77 miles away from Medellín.
The 656-foot high landmark is an outcrop of the Antioquia Batholith that is made up of granite, feldspar and quartz and was once worshipped by the Tahamí indigenous people.
Tourists at visiting the El Peñón de Guatapé giant rock run for safety moments before a rockfall on Thursday
A woman runs away from the El Peñón de Guatapé moments after a landslide at the iconic landmark in Guatapé, Colombia, which left 17 people injured, including two minors
The site is frequented each day by at least 1,000 people and up to 3,400 visitors at the weekend – many of which scale 708 steps to the top of the rock.
Near the entrance of the rock stands a statue of Luis Villegas, the first person to reach the summit of El Peñón in 1954 across a span of five days.
He ended up buying the rock from farmers, who considered the area surrounding it not suitable to grow crops.
Villegas constructed the stairs and charged people interested in climbing it.