A huge landslide has killed at least four people and 50 are believed to be missing after a river in central Venezuela flooded following heavy rains.

The El Pato River, 67 kilometers southwest of Caracas, flooded and swept away several houses, shops and a slaughterhouse, according to search and rescue authorities.

Juan Mario Gualano, director of the Red Cross of Aragua state, said at least four people died after they were caught in landslides.

Carlos Perez, deputy minister for the country’s civil protection system, said in a Sunday tweet that a thousand rescuers were looking for victims in the area.

Distraught residents of Las Tejerias were seen embracing each other in the aftermath and searching for missing relatives.

A woman cries as she searches for a missing relative in a flooded area in Las Tejerias, Venezuela

Streets are flooded after heavy caused the El Pato River to overflow

Residents embrace in Las Tejerias, Venezuela, after intense rain caused a river to overflow flooding

Residents walk through the debris left by flooding caused by a river that overflowed after days of intense rain

One resident, Karen Salinas, was photographed holding her cat following the flooding and another, Jose Medina, was seen climbing out of his window.

Anderson Silva, a resident in the area, said a retaining wall gave way after days of heavy rain, according to Sky News.

Mr Silva and his partner Isabel Peña made it into their home quickly to get some of their belongings but were afraid the rest of the building would collapse.

‘I knew something awful had fallen, because it was a first fall, then another second fall. Then (we had to) run out,’ said Ms Peña.

According to the Meteorology Institute, the storm is now officially classified as a tropical depression and the chances of it becoming a hurricane are probable.

Men carry a dog rescued from the mud after flooding caused by intense rains in Las Tejerias

Karen Salinas holds her cat next to her home damaged by flooding in Las Tejerias

A man reunites with his dog, rescued by neighbors from the mud after the area was flooded during the landslide

Cars are piled up in a workshop after intense rains caused flash flooding and overflowed Las Tejerias river

Women embrace in a flooded street outside their home in Las Tejerias

The deaths bring the total killed in recent weeks to 22 due to heavy rains caused by the La Niña weather pattern.

La Niña, ‘the little girl’, is the term adopted for a weather pattern that occurs in the Pacific Ocean.

Strong winds blow warm water at the ocean’s surface from South America to Indonesia.

As the warm water moves west, cold water from the deep rises to the surface near the coast of South America.

Jose Medina climbs out of his home flooded by the overflow of a ravine caused by intense rains

Residents sit outside a health center waiting for news from missing relatives after flooding