Devastating landslide

MANILA: Rescuers are looking for up to 27 people believed to be buried alive in a landslide in an island province in central Philippines, police and news reports said yesterday.

The landslide triggered by heavy rains buried a row of houses of five families in Biliran province at the height of the tropical storm, Kai-Tak, that barrelled into the Philippines on Saturday.

GMA News Online said three bodies had so far been retrieved.

The news reports said there may be up to 30 people buried in the landslide. Rescue efforts were under way, the reports said. The Manila Bulletin said two more people had been reported to have died in another landslide in Romblon province, also in the central Philippines.