18 missing in landslide in Colombia

Local Colombian emergency rescue teams are searching for 18 people missing in a landslide which buried three houses in the southwestern department of Narino. Major of La Cruz Alexander Realpe said Tuesday that the rescue work started Tuesday morning and is "very difficult" due to heavy rains which have continued to lash the region. Speaking on local television, Realpe said that the landslide buried three houses with at least 18 people inside, and that the exact number of victims is still unknown. The landslide was triggered by heavy rains in the past days. Narino's Civil Defense head Mario Orozco has called on people to stay away from the affected area for fear of new landslides. A report from the Colombian Red Cross said a total of 583,761 people have been affected by the rain, and that among them 144 people were killed, 125 injured, and 16 are still missing. The rainy season in Colombia started in September this year and will last until March next year.