They sought shelter from the heavy rains at a house located on the section of the Tomohon-Manado Road when the landslide struck the house, a source stated.
"The land where the house was constructed suddenly slid down a 50-meter deep ravine. Dozens of people were dragged away and buried by the landslide," noted a local resident, Nelson Uada, whose 70-year-old father, Luade Uada, also fell victim to the disaster.
Only Laude Uada managed to survive the landslide, he claimed.
"About 12 to 15 people had taken shelter at the house when the landslide occurred," Nelson quoted what his father had said.
Hundreds of people gathered in the Bethesda hospital compounds in Tomohon, as they awaited the evacuation of the people trapped in the landslide.
(S012/INE/H-YH)
Reporting by Karel A Polakitan
EDITED BY INE
(KR-BSR/H-YH)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
