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Heavy rains in Guatemala kill six, leave 12 missing

By AAP Newswire

Sep 26, 2023

Rescuers in Guatemala City — Authorities in Guatemala say they have recovered six bodies after houses were washed away in floods. -EPA

Heavy rains have caused a river in Guatemala's capital to burst its banks, killing at last six people and leaving 12 others missing, authorities say.

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Guatemala's National Disaster Reduction Co-ordinator said in a statement on Monday the death toll had risen to six, including a young girl, with 12 people missing.

The five-year-old girl was recovered by firefighters partially buried in debris and mud some 5km down the Naranjo River.

Garbage and other debris had effectively dammed the Naranjo River upstream, causing water to pool in the overnight downpour, Guatemala City officials told a news conference late on Monday.

When the dam broke, it unleashed a torrent that swept away precarious homes closest to the water's edge.

Officials said residents of the neighbourhood had been warned repeatedly to move from the area because of the flood risk.

Images provided by rescuers showed evidence of domestic life strewn in mud along the river bank.Â

The military has set up a command centre to oversee the rescue effort.

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press