At least 37 people have died and others are feared trapped underground in a landslide on Monday in the west of Cameroon, officials say. Rescuers in the town of Bafoussam have been looking for survivors in the remains of houses flattened by earth dislodged after heavy rainfall. Regional governor Fonka Awa Augustine said people had built homes on unsafe ground despite government warnings. Heavy rains have continued beyond the regular rainy season, Reuters reports. There has been heavy rain in the region "Around 10pm [21:00 GMT], I heard a noise," survivor Albert Kenge told the news agency. "I saw a big cloud of dust and when it dissipated, I saw that the mountain had collapsed." The authorities fear that the death toll could rise as the rescue operation continues into the night.