MANILA: At least 15 people were killed Tuesday as torrential rains triggered a landslide and widespread flooding in the Philippine capital Manila and nearby areas, officials said.

The bodies of nine members of one family were pulled from the earth after a landslide buried four houses in a northern Manila slum, said Darius Ramos, a district watchman who was monitoring the rescue effort.

He said four people were rescued alive from the rubble.

Rescuers were still digging with shovels in search of more victims, although they were unsure how many were still missing, he added.

Police reported four drowning deaths in the nearby province of Bulacan and two deaths in Batangas, with one person missing in Bataan. All three provinces were also hit by floods.