Holiday villas on a Thai island were destroyed after a landslide hit them.

Eight villas crumbled when the ground beneath them sank on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province, southern Thailand, on November 13. Days of continuous heavy rain and road constructions in the area reportedly softened the soil on the resort’s premises and triggered the landslide.

No deaths have been reported from the incident while some resort staff have sustained minor injuries.

Samui island authorities issued a letter temporarily prohibiting the use of the resort’s land, and ordered officers to assess the situation.

Resort administrator Lalita Rodkachen said: ‘I heard a loud noise coming from the villas at three in the morning. Luckily, the staff managed to escape in time and there were no guests since the resort has been temporarily shut because of Covid.

‘The resort has been open for 15 years and there were no landslides before. There’s a building and property insurance in place so we are now waiting for them to take care of the issue.’

There have been no travel restrictions to the holiday island so far despite the inclement weather.

Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are in the middle of their tropical monsoon rainy season, which lasts until October or November. Soaring temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius are often followed by powerful tropical storms with thunder, lightning, rain and flash floods.