Several people are feared dead after a landslide in Peru buried several homes, with rescuers breaking down walls in an attempted rescue.
The disaster, which happened around 8.30am local time, was believed to have been caused by recent heavy rain in the La Libertad region of the South American country.
Around 30 homes are feared to have been destroyed in the landslide, with local authorities currently unable to give details on casualties.
Shocking video shared on social media showed a large part of a hillside suddenly give way, with several tons of earth and mud collapsing on to the homes below.
In one video, the person holding the camera is heard crying out as the buildings below are hit by the sudden landfall.
One resident told a local publication: "Several houses have been covered with earth and stones.
"They have broken down walls of the market in the area to rescue people."
The Regional Government of La Libertad issued a statement saying: “Faced with the landslide of a hillside in the upper part of the town of Retamas which occurred this morning and buried homes, the regional governor and president of the Regional Emergency Platform called an emergency meeting to adopt urgent accidents to help the affected population.
"The magnitude of the damage is still unknown, but the governor has already contacted the president of the Council of Ministers, Aníbal Torres, to activate the necessary actions.”
Peru's president, Pedro Castillo, tweeted the government would provide support for the families affected by the disaster.
He said: "I have arranged for the head of the @indeciperu and the Minister of Defense to go to the area affected by the landslide in the province of Pataz in the La Libertad region.
"We will support the affected families and coordinate various actions with the local authorities."
Jose Gavidia, from the country's ministry of defence, added on Twitter: "Together with a rapid response team we headed to the town of Retamas, district of Parcoy (La Libertad) in an emergency to attend to the emergency caused by a landslide on a hillside.
"We will provide all the necessary help to the affected families."
Earlier this year a state of emergency was declared in the Machu Picchu Pueblo after a landslide killed one person and affected dozens of homes and businesses.
The popular tourist attraction, visited by around 1.5million people every year, stayed open as the local government declared the area safe.
Machu Picchu Mayor Darwin Baca said ”Machu Picchu continues with its activities in a normal way, the restaurants, hotels, trains, and others continue with their work, our llaqta has not closed nor will it close its doors.
"This resolution (state of emergency) only serves so that, as authorities, we improve the conditions of attention and security for our visitors."
