ISLAMABAD, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least eight laborers were killed and several others went missing as a passenger van got buried by a landslide in Pakistan's north Kohistan district, local reports said Tuesday.

The landslide completely buried the van at a main highway late on Monday night, and the rescue operation started early on Tuesday morning by authorities and volunteers.

Police said that the van was carrying about 12 laborers who were on their way home from work.

Rescue teams had recovered eight bodies after digging through the piles of mud and rock manually, and the remaining people will be recovered by removing the debris with heavy machinery summoned at the site by the rescue officials.

Police said that the landslide was caused by heavy rains and snowfall that hit the area last week.

The highway was closed for the traffic following the accident, blocking the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's road link with north Gilgit Baltistan region.

This was the second road blockage in the area over the last week.