The incident occurred around 9 a.m. local time on Saturday in a creek in Meiktila town of Mandalay region, an official told Xinhua.

The water in the creek is not very deep, about the height of an average person, he added. The children's bodies were found immediately and taken to a local hospital, but the mother's body is still being searched for, he said.

The family, which included the mother and her three children, resides on a farm where they live separately from others, said the official.

The search operation is underway.

Details are awaited.