Death toll rises to 41 in Myanmar landslide

YANGON, Myanmar

A Myanmar authority said on Saturday that 21 more dead bodies have been pulled out of a landslide rubble caused by heavy monsoon rains in southeastern Myanmar, raising the death toll to 41.

Myanmar Fire Services Department said hundreds of rescue workers are still working on Saturday to search and rescue those trapped or covered under mud in a landslide in the southeastern Mon state.

“41 dead bodies were recovered as of Friday evening (at around 7 p.m. local time),” it said in a press release.

Landslide of a mountain triggered by heavy monsoon rain on Friday buried homes and vehicles in a nearby village in Thaton township of Mon state.

The department added that it remains unclear how many villagers went missing after the landslide.

A state media report, citing a local authority, said on Friday that around 100 villagers went missing.

According to government data, the flood forced more than 12,000 people in Mon state and adjacent Kayin state to take shelter in temporary camps over the past two days.

In recent weeks, heavy rain has caused flood in upper part of the country forcing around 89,000 people to take refuge in temporary camps and religious buildings.