Thursday, June 4, 2009

Landslide kills four in Southern Burma

 
by Ko Wild
Thursday, 04 June 2009 14:28

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - At least four people were killed in a landslide triggered by heavy downpour laced with a storm in Burma’s southern most town of Kawhthaung in Tenessarim division on Wednesday.

Local residents of Kawhthaung told Mizzima that a house in Shwe Min Wun ward was buried under mud following the landslide, killing a mother and three children. The father, whose leg was fractured, and two other neighbours were admitted to hospital.

“Four people died and three are hospitalised. The house was located on the foot of a hill. When heavy rain and storm occurred last night the mudslide hit the house and buried the children and their mother. We were only able to recover the bodies this morning,” a local resident told Mizzima.

Locals said heavy rain has been continuing for the past two days, but on Wednesday it combined with strong winds. Reportedly, several houses and shops are inundated, and in some low lying areas, the water level is up to the chest.

Though it was sunny on Thursday people, whose houses have been inundated, were seen busy clearing the debris that the water had brought in.