Ha Giang, Vietnam—Mud and rock slammed into three hillside homes early Sunday morning. Rain had been falling steadily for three days straight. The slope gave way without warning around 4:00 AM. Five residents were inside when the soil shifted. They have not been seen since.

Local officials coordinated the search effort by dawn. Dozens of police officers and soldiers arrived on the scene. They are using manual tools to clear the debris. Heavy machinery cannot reach the site yet. The road leading to the village is blocked by smaller slides.

The ground remains unstable. Constant light rain complicates the work for the rescue teams. They are moving cautiously to avoid triggering more earth movement. One provincial official noted that the entire hillside remains precarious. Any vibration could cause a secondary collapse.

Families of the missing gathered near the perimeter cordoned off by police. They watch the workers with little hope. Many residents in this region live in structures built into steep inclines. Deforestation in the surrounding area has left the soil without root support.

Local meteorologists warned of continued heavy rainfall through Monday. This creates a tight window for any successful extraction. The provincial government declared this an urgent emergency situation before sunrise. Disaster management units from neighboring districts are now mobilizing to help.

Communication lines in the immediate area remain down. Updates come from field radios carried by the rescue commanders. They report that the volume of mud is significant. It spans roughly fifty meters across the main residential path.

Workers have identified three specific areas of interest under the rubble. They are focusing their digging efforts there now. The search will continue through the night if conditions allow. Flashlights have been distributed to the teams on the ground.

Medical units wait in the valley below. They have prepared for potential survivors but local commanders acknowledge the likelihood of recovery. No official word on the identities of the missing has been released yet. The district head said the priority is locating the bodies.