Guatemala: At least 56 dead, hundreds missing in devastating landslide

Firefighters, emergency services and local volunteers continued to recover bodies after a hillside collapsed in Solola, Guatemala on Saturday. According to Guatemalan emergency services, the death tolls has now risen to 56, while over 350 people are still missing. Guatemalan Coordinating Agency for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) spokesperson said the search will continue for at least 72 hours after the disaster, adding that the likelihood of locating survivors after that would be low. Mudslides are a common occurrence this time of year in Guatemala. An average of up to 400 millimetres (40cm) of rain are expected in the month of October, which is the greatest contributing factor to the cause of such disasters.