At least 16 people were killed in mudslides caused by heavy rain in the northern Peruvian region of Cajamarca, Peruvian civil defence authorities said Tuesday.

Tulio Guillen, head of the Peruvian Institute for Civilo Defence (Indeci) in Cajamarca, said the province of Cutervo is worst affected, but locals refuse to evacuate their homes in areas that are at risk.

Cutervo authorities estimate that heavy rain has caused damage worth about 3.5 million dollars and destroyed 1,000 hectares of crops since December.

Indeci said in a report last week that 350 homes had collapsed and almost 11,000 people had suffered damage to their property.

A state of emergency has been declared in most of Cajamarca, and Police and the Army are assisting locals with close to 27 tonnes of food and clothing.