Yangon, Aug 10 (IANS): At least 30 people were killed in a landslide that buried several houses in a Myanma town, authorities said on Saturday.

The tragedy occurred on Friday in the town of Paung, in Mon state, reports Efe news.

The Fire Service Department announced the death toll of the avalanche - which was caused by heavy flooding in the region - and warned that the number of victims was expected to rise as search-and-rescue operations were still underway.

One of the survivors, a 70-year-old woman, told Efe news via telephone that she lost 13 relatives in this "unprecedented" natural disaster.

"This is the very first time, I've never seen anything like this before in my life," she said.

In addition, hundreds of residents of nearby villages have been left isolated and await aid as heaps of mud blocked roads and paths.

According to the UN, the intense monsoon rains ravaging the region this week have forced nearly 38,000 people to temporarily abandon their homes.