JOHNSONS LANDING, British Columbia — Four people were believed to be missing Friday after a wall of rock, mud, and trees cascaded down the side of a mountain, flattening several homes in this tiny western Canada community.

Unstable conditions temporarily forced the search efforts to be called off Friday, said Central Kootenay Regional District spokesman Bill McPherson.

Debris was still falling into the area and the search would continue once the movement stops, McPherson said. Unstable conditions also forced the crews to suspend search efforts Thursday.

Lynn Migdal said she hoped her two daughters, ages 17 and 22, and former husband were still alive after debris engulfed their home in British Columbia on Thursday.

A German tourist is also believed to be missing.

The landslide struck Thursday morning above the shores of Kootenay Lake. Officials said at least three houses were crushed by the unstable, shifting muck.

Roland Procter said he was reading on his garden deck, only 1,600 feet away, as a massive torrent of mud gushed down, snapping large trees like toothpicks as the muck engulfed half of his tiny village.

ASSOCIATED PRESS