The landslide occurred Tuesday in a mountainside area of Bello, near Colombia's second-biggest city, after heavy rains caused a nearby stream to overflow.

Andres Julian Rendon, governor of Antioquia department, said on X that the death toll had risen to 16 with eight people still missing.

Bello mayor Lorena Gonzalez said the ground in the disaster area was still "unstable" and that rescue workers were taking "great risks" to continue the search.

Antioquia, which is situated in the western Colombian Andes, is often affected by landslides during the rainy season.

At least five people were killed in a landslide in another Medellin suburb, Sabaneta, last month.