Ten more people are unaccounted for, according to the country's state news agency.
Heavy rains set off the natural disaster in the San Martin tropical forest in Peru's northeast, which destroyed "at least 10 houses and a pedestrian bridge," Andina news agency reported.
Six of the 11 bodies recovered so far appear to be children. Residents are working with civil defense officials and the military to find victims in the rubble, but the flooding of a local river is hindering their efforts.
At least a dozen homes were swept away as mud and rocks crashed into the village of El Porvenir in the province of San Martin.
The provincial mayor, Ronald Garcia, said at least five children were among the dead and that whole families were unaccounted for.
Heavy rain in the area has triggered several landslides in recent weeks.
"It's a jungle area, next to the village passes a river, houses were on the edge of ejection of this ravine, and the flood swept through those that were there," the head of the National Civil Defence Institute (Indeci), Alfredo Murgueytio, told Peruvian radio.
Mr Garcia said some of the missing people may have fled into the hills to save their lives.
"Whole families are missing," said Mr Garcia. More than 80 families live in the village, he said.
El Porvenir residents are mostly coffee farmers, officials said.
Peru's government is sending humanitarian aid, including tents and sheets, the state news agency reported.
Thursday 18 October 2012
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-19987471
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