Landslide kills at least 21

A rain-sodden hillside gave way and buried houses in seven neighbourhoods of a rural Guatemalan town, killing at least 21 people, officials said today.

“Sadly, we believe that there are more dead and injured,” said Benedicto Giron, spokesman for the national disaster-response agency.

Mario Cruz of the volunteer fire department said 21 people were dead in addition to 40 counted as injured in the landslide last night in San Antonio Senahu, about 75 miles north-east of the capital.

President Oscar Berger cancelled all other commitments today to fly to the scene of the disaster, according to his office.

At least 80 rescue-equipped firefighters and 60 other emergency workers headed to the town from Guatemala City to participate.

Efforts to reach Senahu were complicated by another slide on the highway leading to the town. The army was using heavy equipment to try to clear it.

The national disaster agency said that it had set up six shelters for evacuees.

A May 2000 mudslide in Senahu buried 21 houses and killed 13 people.