State of Emergency for Guatemala

A state of emergency has been declared in Guatemala, where days of heavy rain have caused widespread flooding and landslides.



At least 20 people have been killed, including at least 10 who died when a bus was engulfed by a mudslide.



President Alvaro Colom says the rains had undone all the reconstruction work completed since Tropical Storm Agatha, which killed 165 people in May.



He has also asked congress to approve emergency funds for rebuilding.



Days of heavy rains have saturated Guatemala's mountainous terrain, causing hillsides to collapse suddenly and without warning.