At least 31 people were killed when a landslide rolled down the slopes of Mt. Elgon in eastern Uganda, wrecking homes and burying animals, a government official told Reuters on Friday.

Martin Owor, Commissioner for Disaster Preparedness and Management, said the landslide tumbled onto a small town on the mountain's slopes on Thursday afternoon.

"Most of the people were caught at the trading centre, the landslide pushed huge boulders into a river which burst its banks and the water swept away the people," Owor added.

The area, about 250 km (155 miles) from the capital, Kampala, is close to the border with Kenya and is prone to landslides, suffering a major avalanche in 2010 that killed at least 80 people.

Relief teams are now combing the area to search and rescue survivors, Owor said.

"There are people who were displaced and they need shelter, food and all other support and we're moving that relief to the area." (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema Editing by Paul Tait and Clarence Fernandez)