Venezuela landslides: Dozens killed as homes swept away
The number of people killed has risen to 36, and 56 others are missing after landslides swept away their homes in the Venezuelan town of Las Tejerías.
About 1,000 emergency personnel are taking part in search and rescue operations.
“We’re trying to save whoever we can and are expressing our condolences to all those who have lost a loved one,” Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez said.
President Nicolás Maduro has declared three days of national mourning.
Among those killed are two toddlers, local media said.
Earlier reports said 25 people had been killed, but interior and justice minister Remigio Ceballos told reporters the number had risen to 36.
Torrential rainfall caused the river El Pato to burst its banks. The resulting floodwaters swept away, trees, cars, houses, and shops in the town, some 50km southwest of the capital, Caracas.
On the walls of the houses, thick mud showed how high the floodwaters had risen.
The electricity supply to the town has been cut, leaving it in darkness.
Residents dug through the cloying mud by hand to try to find survivors. They were joined by sniffer dogs and specialized search teams.
Interior Minister Remigio Ceballos said the landslides had been caused by Hurricane Julia, which passed just north of Venezuela.
Agencies