Landslide kills at least 11 on Bolivian highway

EL CHORO, Bolivia – Authorities said Sunday that searchers had recovered 11 bodies from a landslide that buried cars on a highway in the mountains northeast of Bolivia’s capital a day earlier. At least 18 other people were reported injured.

Officials also said new mudslides occurred in the same area as a result of a third day of heavy rains, though there was no immediate word of any casualties.

Tons of earth and mud collapsed on the mountain highway near a spot known as El Choro on Saturday. Public Works chief Oscar Coca said the bodies had been in two cars that were swept some 200 metres (650 feet) down a canyon.

Heavy rains had been falling for two days and the cars were in a line of vehicles making their way along a muddy patch of road when the mountainside gave way.

Police Gen. Romulo Delgado said the dead included six adults and five minors.