Authorities in southern California searched a wide area early today after a breakaway religious sect of 13 people left behind letters indicating they were awaiting an apocalyptic event and would soon see Jesus and their dead relatives in heaven.

The group of immigrants from El Salvador, including children as young as three, were described as "cult-like" by sheriff's officials and led by Reyna Marisol Chicas, a 32-year-old woman from Palmdale in north-east Los Angeles county, sheriff's Captain Mike Parker said.

The group left behind mobile phones, ID, property deeds and letters indicating they were awaiting "the Rapture".

"Essentially, the letters say they are all going to heaven to meet Jesus and their deceased relatives," sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said. "Some of the letters were saying goodbye."

The items came from a purse that a member of the group had left with her husband yesterday and asked him to pray over. He eventually looked inside, and he and another member's husband called authorities, Parker said.

The men told investigators they believed the group members had been "brainwashed" by Chicas, and one expressed worries that they might harm themselves, Parker said.

An address listed in Chicas's name in Palmdale, a high-desert city of 139,000, appeared to be empty today. A sheriff's deputy sat in a car parked in front and kept reporters from walking on to the property.

Whitmore said the major crimes unit, helicopter patrols and many other deputies were looking for the missing people.

They were searching for three vehicles: a silver Toyota Tundra pickup, a 1995 Mercury Villager and a 2004 white Nissan.

Parker said the materials the group left behind suggested they would be in the Antelope Valley area not far from their homes.

About six months ago, the group had planned to head to Vasquez Rocks, a wilderness area near Palmdale, to await a catastrophic earthquake or similar event, but one member of the group revealed details of the trip to relatives, Parker said. The trip was called off and the member kicked out.

The group had broken away from a mainstream Christian church in Palmdale.

"We've got a group here that's practicing some orthodox and some unorthodox Christianity," Parker said. "Obviously this falls under the unorthodox."

According to an emergency bulletin put out by the governor's office, in addition to Chicas, the missing include: Norma Isela Serrano, 31, Alma Alicia Miranda Pleitez, 28; Martha Clavel, 39; Jose Clavel, 15; Crystal Clavel, 3; Roberto Tejada, 18; Jonathan Tejada, 17; Hugo Tejada, 3; Ezequel Chicas, 15; Genisis Chicas, 12; Bryan Rivera, 17; Stephanie Serrano, 12.