Colombia landslide: Rescuers search for survivors amid mud

More than a dozen people have been reported missing and are feared buried under the mud

Rescue workers in Colombia are searching for more than a dozen people who are still missing after a deadly landslide engulfed homes and a main road south-east of the capital, Bogotá.

Fifteen bodies have been recovered since heavy rains caused local rivers to burst their banks late on Monday.

Mud, boulders and debris swept away several homes near the town of Quetame.

A 118m-long (387ft) road bridge linking Bogotá with the provinces of Cundinamarca and Meta was also damaged.

The road bridge on the main highway linking the capital with the eastern plains collapsed

The worst-hit area was El Naranjal, where at least 20 homes were buried under tonnes of mud.

Firefighters halted their rescue efforts at nightfall but will resume work once there is enough light.

A rescue worker managed to save a dog from the mud

By Tuesday evening they had found 15 bodies, among them those of several children.

The mayor of Quetame said some people had lost up to four family members in the tragedy.

Thirteen people are still missing, according to the latest count.

Residents whose homes were damaged returned to salvage what they could.

Some homes were left standing but have become uninhabitable

The toll post at El Naranjal was flooded when a number of local streams burst their banks.

The road remains closed as work to clear it of debris is under way

The mudslide was triggered by flooding as several streams burst their banks after hours of torrential rain.

Homes and their contents were swept away by the force of the water

Landslides are not uncommon during the rainy season in Colombia but in recent years, the loss of life and the damages caused by heavy rains have increased.

Last year, almost 300 people died as a result of seasonal flooding.