Death Toll in Peru Mudslides Rises to 18

Peruvian authorities on Friday said the death toll from devastating mudslides in the country's southern and central regions has climbed to 18, including three children, reports AFP.

The landslides, which occurred last Sunday, have also left 27 people injured and 20 missing, according to data from Peru's National Institute of Civil Defense.

The latest fatality came early Friday in the central Andean region of Junin, where a rock and mudslide buried a vehicle, killing one person and injuring two others, the institute said.

Rains were heaviest in the Arequipa region, where homes, roads, schools and a medical centre were destroyed in Camana province.

Numerous artisanal mines are located in the area, and officials fear some people may have been trapped in makeshift tunnels.

The children who died ranged in age from one to 10 years old, officials said.