Rescue officials have recovered the body of another two victims, buried alive in a landslide that hit a squatter colony in Kapit, Sarawak, bringing the death toll to three.

The landslide occurred early yesterday after two hours of rain in Sarawak near the town of Kapit which is located south of the capital Kuching.

The latest victim was 12-year-old Soon Hua Ting, the official Bernama news agency said, adding that rescue teams were continuing their search for one last victim.

Acting local police chief Pradeep Sritharan said Soon was buried four meters under the mud. Rescuers had earlier pulled out two other bodies.

The New Straits Times newspaper today identified the other victims as 13-year-old Malaysian Frederick Bradley Peter and his 53-year-old grandmother Dayang Dayak.

Fears of another landslide

Officials said at least 10 houses were damaged and several people injured after being hit by falling tree branches.

George Chan, deputy chief minister, said other residents in the settlement were moved out of their homes amid fears of another landslide.

"Another landslide may occur, so we do not want to take any risks," he said.

Meteorological officials expect more rain to pound Sarawak during the monsoon, a climatic phenomenon that occurs between November and February.

At least 29 people have died in the last two weeks because of monsoon floods in Malaysia and thousands of people have sought shelter in relief centres.