At least 33 killed in Colombia landslide: Interior minister

At least 33 people died when a landslide buried a bus in northwestern Colombia on Sunday, and nine have been rescued alive, the interior minister said.

The landslide, caused by strong rains, hit the vehicle between the villages of Pueblo Rico and Santa Cecilia in Risaralda province, about 230km (140 miles) northwest of the capital Bogota.

"We have already found 33 people dead, including three minors, and we have rescued nine people alive, four of them are in a critical condition," Interior Minister Alfonso Prada told reporters on Monday.

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro described the incident as a tragedy in a Twitter message.

"Solidarity with the families of the victims," Petro said, pledging support from the national government.

Pueblo Rico Mayor Leonardo Fabio Siagama told reporters that bodies were being brought to a covered stadium in the town that is normally used for sport.

The bus was traveling from Cali, Colombia's third largest city, to the municipality of Condoto, in Choco province. Civil defence officials said it was carrying at least 25 passengers.

One survivor told AFP news agency earlier that the driver of the bus managed to dodge the worst of the landslide.

"Part of it was coming down and the bus was a little bit back from that. The bus driver was backing up when it all came crashing down," Andres Ibarguen told radio station Lloro Stereo.

The rainy season that began in August is Colombia's worst in 40 years, according to the government, causing accidents that have left more than 270 people dead.