Guatemala mudslide toll climbs to 171 dead: official

Santa Catarina Pinula (Guatemala), Oct 7: Emergency workers unearthed 10 more bodies from a landslide outside the Guatemalan capital, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 171, officials have said.

"So far, 171 bodies have been recovered," from the tonnes of sodden earth that buried some 125 dwellings last week, said Sergio Cabanas, the official heading up the search, yesterday.

Crews braved dangerous conditions at the site, some 15 kilometers (10 miles) east of Guatemala City, where hundreds more potential victims are still missing.

The landslide tore through the village of Cambray II Thursday night after heavy rain. Rescuers resumed their search for victims at dawn yesterday with the help of a Mexican team with trained rescue dogs, but hopes of finding survivors are growing slim, officials said.

AFP