AT LEAST seven people were killed when a landslide hit a house in Davao de Oro on Thursday, a disaster official said, as inclement weather continues to affect parts of Mindanao.

The incident happened in the morning in a mountainous gold mining region of Davao de Oro province on Mindanao island, where heavy rain has triggered flooding and landslides this week.

A family of eight, including six children, had left their evacuation center and returned home for a prayer meeting with other villagers, Monkayo municipal disaster officer Rocris Idul told AFP.

Rescuers retrieved seven bodies from the mud, including those of the children. Another four people were still missing, Idul said.

“There’s a very slim chance they can survive,” Idul said, noting the huge volume of mud that buried the house.

Three people were pulled out alive, including one who was severely injured, Idul said.

Search, rescue, and retrieval operations are expected to resume on Friday.

Monkayo Mayor Manuel Zamora issued a warning on Wednesday for people living in “high risk” areas of the municipality to leave their homes, his chief of staff, Rodielyn Manugas, told AFP.

Schools in the municipality were ordered to suspend classes on Friday, with more heavy rain expected in the region.

In its weather forecast for Friday, PAGASA said cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms would prevail in Caraga and Davao Region because of the shear line.

The state weather bureau warned of possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy rain.

Almost 45,000 families have been affected by the massive flooding that hit Davao Region, based on data from the Office of Civil Defense-11.

with a report from Agence France-Presse