7-2-2024 (MANILA) At least 11 individuals were injured in a rain-induced landslide that buried two buses in the Maco municipality of Davao de Oro province in the southern Philippines. The incident occurred on the evening of February 6 following days of heavy rainfall in the mountainous region of Mindanao, the country’s second-largest island.
According to the municipal disaster agency’s Facebook post on February 7, one person is in critical condition among the injured. The post did not provide details on the number of people aboard the buses during the landslide or whether rescue operations were still underway.
Apex Mining, the Philippine company operating the gold mine, stated that the landslide occurred outside the mine site where buses were waiting to transport workers after their shifts. In a statement issued late on February 6, the company mentioned that they were actively trying to locate the buses that were dispatched for outgoing employees. However, rescue efforts have been impeded by limited visibility and intermittent landslides.
During the night of February 6, an evacuation order was issued for five villages in Maco, including Masara village, where the landslide occurred. The municipal disaster agency posted the order on their Facebook page.
Mindanao has experienced continuous heavy rainfall for several weeks, resulting in the displacement of tens of thousands of people who have sought refuge in emergency shelters. In the region, at least 16 individuals lost their lives due to landslides and flooding last week, as reported by the national disaster agency in its most recent update.
