Throughout October’s calamitous weather conditions, it’s been proven that landslides are the greatest threat to communities in storm-battered regions.

According to Nguoi Lao Dong, at 3:30pm on October 28, in the middle of Storm Molave’s path across mainland Vietnam, patches of a hillside dislodged and buried an entire village in Tra Leng Commune, Nam Tra My District, Quang Nam Province. Survivors reported hearing a huge boom before the land fell on the houses. Local authorities estimated that 45 people were missing.

As of 1pm today, October 29, Tuoi Tre reported that 10 bodies have been unearthed, along with five others who were alive, but suffering from major injuries. Rescue efforts are incredibly challenging as road access is still blocked and cell signals are weak.

Around the same time yesterday, two other landslides occurred in Quang Nam in Tra Van Commune in Nam Tra My and Phuoc Loc Commune in Phuoc Son District. After the accidents, eight Tra Van residents and 11 Phuoc Loc residents were buried. In Phuoc Loc, the landslide struck yesterday afternoon, but village officials only managed to get the word out today after traveling out on foot.

All three affected communes are located in the province’s most remote mountainous areas, making it extremely difficult for relief teams to carry out rescues. Since 3am this morning, October 29, the Regiment 885 and the Engineering Brigade 270 of the Military Zone 5 have been deployed to the site to aid relief efforts.

[Photo via 2sao]