(UPDATE) 2 minors die in Zamboanga landslide

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - Two minors were killed and another injured when a landslide hit a village in Zamboanga City this morning, a local official said.

Zamboanga mayor Isabel Climaco-Salazar, who is also chair of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC), said the landslide occurred in a slope of Limpapa Village at about 7:30 a.m that swept 3 houses at the foot of the hill.

According to Salazar, the two fatalities were identified as Agustin Kaluuyan, 14, and his sister Ayen, 6. They were buried in the rubble of their house and were found dead by the villagers.

Local police said occupants of the other two destroyed houses survived the tragedy as they were out during the incident.

Salazar said the neighbors of the victims told police that they heard loud rumbling sound, which was immediately followed by large amount of loose earth, crushing through all coconut trees and houses below.

The villagers believed the ground caved in because of continuous rain since Friday.