13-2-2024 (MANILA) The death toll resulting from a devastating landslide striking a gold-mining community in the southern Philippines soared to 68 individuals, authorities disclosed on Monday, marking a grim turn as rescue efforts transitioned from search and rescue to recovery operations.
For nearly a week, hundreds of dedicated rescuers tirelessly employed their bare hands, shovels, and heavy-duty earth-moving machinery in an arduous quest for survivors following the landslide that engulfed Masara village nestled in the mountainous terrain of Mindanao island last Tuesday.
Official figures released by the municipal government unveiled that more than a dozen bodies were unearthed from the debris on Monday, while a staggering 51 individuals remained unaccounted for, comprising both mine workers and local residents.
Edward Macapili, the spokesperson for the provincial disaster office in Davao de Oro, conveyed to AFP, “It is almost a week after the incident and… we are assuming that no one is alive there,” highlighting the grim reality gripping the village. “There is already a foul smell in the area now so there’s a need to fast-track the retrieval.”
Macapili also noted that an area approximately 50 metres (164 feet) deep still awaits thorough exploration by rescue teams.
Amidst the despair, a glimmer of hope emerged last Friday when rescuers miraculously extricated a three-year-old girl from the rubble, offering a brief moment of relief amidst the tragedy.
The landslide’s ferocity overwhelmed three buses and a jeepney, which were awaiting employees of a gold mining firm, along with 55 adjacent houses, resulting in injuries to 32 individuals.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to persist in the search until all missing persons are accounted for, although the challenges posed by the treacherous terrain and adverse weather conditions remain formidable.
Landslides constitute a persistent hazard across the Philippines, owing to the nation’s rugged topography, heavy rainfall, and extensive deforestation attributed to mining activities, slash-and-burn agriculture, and illicit logging.
Mindanao, in particular, has borne the brunt of incessant rainfall in recent weeks, precipitating numerous landslides and floods, compelling tens of thousands of people to seek refuge in emergency shelters.
The region has also grappled with seismic disturbances, with massive earthquakes rattling communities in recent months
