A view of the disaster zone after a landslide in the village of El Manantial, Santa Cruz Barillas, in the region of Huehuetenango, about 264 km (164 miles) from Guatemala City. Photo by Reuters.
Heavy predawn rains caused the disaster that buried four homes while families slept.
"They have been trapped under heavy mud. It's unlikely that anyone is still alive," Sergio Cabanas, director of civil defence, told Reuters.
Rain and unstable terrain prevented rescue teams from reaching the landslide on foot and crews have been removing dirt with heavy machinery. Rescuers will continue to search for victims, Cabanas said.
Authorities have removed from the rubble the bodies of two young boys - four and six years old - and a seven-year-old girl.
