At least 9 people died after a mudslide ravaged southern Guatemala early Wednesday, according to volunteer firefighters in the municipality of Villa Nueva.
A search was underway for a missing child who local authorities fear may have been swept away by the fast-moving mud mass, which was caused by heavy rains.
The slide mangled as many as 10 homes in the village of Santa Isabel and left dozens homeless, local officials said.
Authorities have declared a state of emergency in the small town, south of the capital of Guatemala City, and have asked residents to evacuate.
The government is organizing aid efforts for local residents and is providing shelter, food and water for those in the hardest-hit neighborhoods.