Omayra Sanchez (the girl pictured) was 12 years old and lived with her parents, her brother and an uncle in Columbia when floodwaters swept through her village. The day before the tragedy her mother had traveled to Bogotá on business. As the floodwater rushed up Omayra could not escape and was trapped under her own home's concrete plaque and debris.

When rescue teams tried to help her, they realized that her legs were trapped. The only feasible option was to pull her out by breaking and ripping her legs off. Omayra remained strong until the last moment of her life. According to people who were by her side during those moments, the little girl wanted to live, saying her only worry was to go back to school.

The people who were trying to save her life begged the pilots of overflying helicopters to get a pump so the water could have been drained out. After two days a pump was delivered, but unfortunately it did not work properly and finally got stuck because of the mud and debris.

R.I.P Omayra Sanchez