Yangon, Aug 11 (IANS): The death toll due to a landslide that buried several houses in a Myanmar town has increased to 48, with emergency teams on Sunday still struggling to locate potential survivors amid the rubble.

The landslide, which was caused by heavy flooding, took place on Friday in the town of Paung, Mon state, reports Efe news.

The Fire Services Department said that 48 bodies had been recovered and search-and-rescue efforts were underway to locate an undetermined number of missing people.

Dozens of bulldozers and heavy machinery have been deployed to find potential survivors in a race against time.

The operation is being overseen by ministers from the national government.

Witnesses told Efe that around 100 people could be buried under the rubble, though authorities have not confirmed that figure.

In addition, hundreds of residents of nearby villages have been left isolated while awaiting aid as roads have been destroyed and cut off by torrents of mud.

The intense monsoon rains have also forced the evacuation of nearly 38,000 people across the country, according to the UN.